reflections on broken waves
by Freefan1412
Summary: Luffy isn't happy to be left with mountain bandits. The bandits aren't happy either. Four years old Ace is curious, though, because it's something new. Luffy is decidedly more happy to find that he gets to be a big brother. The world kind of doesn't know what hit it. -Age Reversal AU. Big Brother Luffy.-
1. rising storm

_(Who decided that giving plot bunnies a name as innocent as_ bunnies _was good idea? They've got nothing to do with innocent and fluffy things! They're demons! They posses you, suck your energy and turn you into a zombie until they're done with you!)_

* * *

reflections on broken waves

* * *

rising storm

* * *

The silence of the mountain is broken by a scream of utter terror.

In front of the mountain hut where this scream originated from, an old man wearing a summer shirt holds up a child no older than seven to the bandits' leader.

Over the course of the next few minutes, her face crumbles into one of utter despair and white faced fury (horror). The one causing this reaction couldn't care less and marches back down the mountain through a forest filled with ferocious beasts with an ease that only someone assured of their place at the top of the food chain can manage.

It goes without saying of course, that the bandit leader does not have that ease. Not even remotely. Like at all. Given that, she doesn't know if she should start ordering the brat dumped on her to do chores the other one it too small to do or if she should be afraid of a kid the height of her knee with his pinky up his nose, a straw hat on his head and a blank look on his face.

The correct answer?

She should be afraid.

Very. Very. Afraid.

xXx

"Who're you?"

"'m Luffy! I'm goona become the Pirate King! Wait – where're you going? Let's be friends!"

The round, tiny face attempts to scowl but comes off more as adorable, which the other boy is utterly oblivious to unlike the bandits who curse Garp yet again as they watch the older boy hurry after the smaller one who yet again decides that exploring a forest filled with blood-thirsty beast easily ten times his size (never mind his weight!) is a good idea.

xXx

Luffy tilts his head.

The boy tilts his head.

Luffy sucks on his lips.

The boy sucks on his lips but he can't do it as well as Luffy cause he isn't rubber. (It's not a lame fruit! That that Shanks!)

Luffy sucks on his lips more. Meanie Gramps dropped him in a really bad place. Luffy hates mountain bandits!

It's cool that he isn't alone with them, but the monsters in the forest are really strong. Even though Luffy's punch is like a pistol! (Almost!)

But Luffy really doesn't like this place. The bandits don't give him enough food and they are mean. Ace doesn't like them a lot either even though he's lived with them all his life!

Luffy wants to go back to the village and Makino. But he can't. He promised Shanks that he'd become a great pirate and Pirate King! He is going to have a crew better than Shanks and he'd have lots of adventures with them and protect them and have fun! He has to be strong for that.

Stronger than the animals! He wouldn't give up!

But babies sure were funny. Dadan said Ace wasn't a baby, that he is four years old, but he is so small. Lots smaller than Luffy even! (Even though he is _almost_ grown up, he knows he's still growing and Ace definitely has a lot more growing to do than Luffy!)

Ace blinks and Luffy grins. He won!

Ace glares, pulls on Luffy's cheeks but Luffy still stared without blinking longer! Yay! That means he gets to decide if they have to go left or right to go back to the bandits'.

Ace is small and tiny and weaker than Luffy. But Luffy decided they are friends, so he's got to be grown up and responsible now and find them the way back.

xXx

…they maaaay end up a bit lost. And stumble over a tiger on accident.

(On accident: that will become the word that thoroughly summarizes their childhood. Stumbled over a tiger on accident, beat up thugs on accident, robbed pirates on accident, caused an avalanche on accident...)

Lufy doesn't know how they make it back and he doesn't remember a lot of fighting the tiger. But it was Luffy's adventure and Ace got hurt because of Luffy's adventure.

\- and Luffy will definitely have to do better.

xXx

Doing better is hard. He needs to think a lot and that hurts his head. But once they discover the use of weapons, it's a good start.

xXx

Luffy falls in the river. Ace waits for him to come back up.

He doesn't.

Jumping in after is maybe a stupid idea given that Ace can't really swim yet either, but Luffy is so useless sometimes, like when he accidentally made a knot of his arms and needed Ace to untangle them.

Still, stupid or not, Ace doesn't want to go back to life with only the bandits. Living is warmer now.

xXx

Luffy is eight years old already when he and Ace see Gray Terminal for the first time.

xXx

They're only a bit older when they meet a blond boy as old as Ace beating up some bad men, and decide to gather a pirate found together.

* * *

At first Sabo honestly doesn't know what to think of the two boys at first who stumble into his life (and Gray Terminal) with all the subtly of a sledgehammer. They're loud, wild and Sabo's never seen such horrible manners or disregard of social conventions.

In short, it doesn't take him long to decide they are a riot (by themselves and by what they do to others') and absolutely worth sticking with for that reason alone.

One reason becomes many quickly. Sabo hadn't known he was lonely until it's gone. Living hurt a bit before, but with Luffy and Ace it's suddenly _fun_.

Sabo learns how to beat up the animals that used to force him to run and hide, and how even sharing a meal can be an adventure!

Glowing affection from Luffy (that he's had to do _nothing_ for; the mind boggles) and rivalry with Ace fill his days.

Together, they dream.

* * *

"I'M GOONA BE PIRATE KING!"

"I'LL BE A GREATER PIRATE THAN THAT GUY EVER WAS! I'LL BECOME STRONG AND STRONGER AND I'LL LEAVE MY STAMP ON THE WORLD!"

…

"...Luffy, Ace. Let's leave this country one day. Let's leave and get out on the ocean and be free!"

xXx

Ace is Luffy's little brother and if anyone wants to hurt him, they'll have to go through him first.

It's nice, having a brother. He's never had a brother before. And having a second brother is great too! It makes him all warm and comfy inside when they play and hunt and train together.

For them Luffy is going to be as great a big brother as he is goona be a pirate! He'll protect them both and become the strongest of all and -

xXx

-he isn't strong. He is _weak!_ He can't even protect his little brother, how can he become Pirate King?!

Clutching a letter in his fists, Dogra's words in his ears, Luffy _cries_.

* * *

Luffy is bright and strong and warm.

Ace is eight years old, the son of (maybe) a demon, a child who everyone tried to kill before he was born, who everyone _would_ kill if they knew who he was, and he has a big brother who cuddles him in his sleep, drools with him over food, trains with him, fights with him, hunts with him, who can't be bothered to learn what a compass is, who still hits himself with his devil fruit more often than he hits Ace (though if he throws a normal punch then Ace and trees haven't got a chance!), who drags and shoots him through trees when he tries to fly like a rocket, who hugs him for no reason, who laughs and smiles with Ace, who is a crybaby, who thinks that its the _coolest thing ever_ that he's the Pirate King's son, and who -

 _punches_ the man through a wall.

Ace stands, stunned. The bar is deadly silent. They all stare at Luffy who blows out a puffing breath through his nose and who is _angry,_ pipe clutched in his hand and bent from force.

Because they said bad things about Ace. (Because Ace asked, but that's besides the point.)

Ace may be the child of a demon, he may not.

Ace doesn't know, he's never met Roger, that's why he asks, but everyone only says bad things about him, so he _must_ have been evil in some way, Ace sometimes thinks -

Though when Luffy looks like that, when his eyes are all dark and fists trembling and hat that is too big for him getting put upon his dark hair to cast a dark rim of shadow over his eyes -

 _(like he would put himself between Ace and the world)_

\- that he is _just Ace_ , that the blood he can feel pumping through his body and see under his skin is not evil and not poisonous and not black and not cursed.

(Luffy is warmer and brighter and stronger than the sun. When Ace is with him, not even the world they are standing on can touch him.)

* * *

Luffy is seventeen today and he's finally setting sail!

His crew and adventures are waiting for him, he can feel it!

He'll become Pirate King.

(He'll be free like Sabo never was.)

"Bye everyone!" He shouts, waving his arms as his little ship leaves the only land he's ever known. "I'll see you in three years Ace! Become a great pirate!"

"Worry about yourself first, Luffy!" Ace waves, laughing and crying (geez, and he always calls Luffy a crybaby). " _I_ at least know how to read a compass!"

"Shishishishishi!"

And then the ocean stirs and the Lord of the Coast gets sent flying. Luffy nods to himself. A good start to a journey.

* * *

"Hey you. They say you're strong. Want to join my Pirate Crew?"

Zoro isn't in the mood to entertain crazy kids. He's got bigger problems like the deal he made that is going up in flames and his current inability to defend himself should he need it. "... _why_ would I _want_ to be a pirate?"

He has no idea what he is dealing with. His ignorance won't survive the next five minutes.

The grin that splits the straw-hatted boy's face is that of the devil. "'Cause otherwise you'll die here and if you agree I'll even get you your swords."

...it's not a choice.

Zoro will later learn that he really, _really_ didn't stand a chance.

xXx

When it rains a body from the sky that somehow is still alive, Nami doesn't let shock get the better of her long enough to miss taking advantage of it.

She feels a bit bad for throwing that guy to the wolves, but well. It's a dangerous world and everyone for themselves.

Only it turns out it wasn't him who was thrown to the wolves. She doesn't think she ever saw a fight end that quickly and it stuns her appropriately.

Trying to sweet talk this golden chance to move things along so that she comes within arm's reach of not only the map to the Grand Line but also Buggy's gold doesn't work until she gives an inch.

"How about you help me first? Then we can work together."

"Okay."

It's an inch she's never going to get back.

Usually she not only takes her inches back but, ah, 'borrows' a couple miles at the same time.

Thing only get crazier and by the end of the day she's helped ruin one of the most feared pirates in the East Blue, got recruited as a Navigator for a crew that including her counts a grant total of three members, was introduced to more Devil Fruits in one day than most people see in their lifetimes, and gathered a couple million more for her treasure. Her head spins.

She thinks she found a couple of strong guys to protect her while robbing other pirates (and eventually them) blind. She is wrong. Oh so wrong.

xXx

It doesn't take Usopp long at all to decide that jumping on the Going Merry to follow Luffy was the best choice of his life. Granted, the things the rubber captain drags them into leaves him terrified more often than not, but he's out on the sea, he's on the crew of the (maybe) future Pirate King and he'll one day catch up to his father. His dream of becoming a brave warrior of the seas is no longer something absurd and out of reach. He has taken the first step towards it!

He'll take more.

"Shishishi! Look Usopp! Don't you think that shadow looks like a Sea King? Let's go fishing!"

"NO! ARE YOU CRAZY? THAT THING WILL SWALLOW THE MERRY WHOLE!"

….even if he'll be terrified and, er, watching from strategic distance away from the monster punching _legitimate, giant, violent sea monsters_ out **with one punch**.

xXx

Through all the ups and downs of his life, Sanji can definitely claim that he has never met someone as bat-shit as Luffy before.

He wonders on a side note what it says about him that he ends up following that boy, but mostly he is concerned with working out rations and meal plans and _where is he supposed to store all that food_ which means its a good thing that Luffy does not only attract trouble like bees to honey but that a good percent of the fish he and Usopp catch end up twice the size of the Merry and perfectly eatable.

Sanji has pity, not for the first time, with Luffy's parents who must have gotten eaten out of house and home. (Assuming they aren't the same, but that way lies madness.)

"Sanji~~. Fooooood~."

As it is, he has all pans on the stove, fires burning, and has to bat rubbery (menace!) hands away from the desserts he is currently making and the _special delux_ _tropical juice_ for the only blessing of god on this testosterone manned ship, the beautiful Nami-san~~~.

xXx

"Ace! Ace, look here! It's Luffy!"

The teen almost tears the paper in half, so eagerly does he take it. "A wanter poster!"

xXx

Her cover identity dissolving like salt in water is, as she later learns, just one of those things that just _happen_ around Luffy.

Giving credit where credit is due, Luffy didn't actually _do_ anything other than mess her Baroque Works mission up. He just happened to be around when the consequences of her own actions caught up with her.

Still, it's easy to blame Luffy when the most well laid plans just habitually keep going up in smoke around him and her identity would likely have done the same had it not already been compromised.

Relaxing on deck is also easy, very much so.

Indulging Luffy with sudden games or spontaneous hugs, watching Nami smack sense into whatever chaos unfolds, mediating between the swordsman and the cook, making sure that they _do not use Carue as bait for Sea Kings_ again is exhausting and stressing at first, but two weeks into her travels with them, she wakes up and finds herself following a routine without second thought, and without the constant fear and weight on her shoulders that had been her companion for the past years.

The Straw Hats are not like any pirates she knows. She would bet her royal treasury (if it weren't currently empty) that there are no pirates anywhere like them.

It makes her feel humble and grateful that she is the one blessed with encountering them, makes her wonder what gods are watching out for her and her people.

(Later: what gods enjoy tossing Luffy at a problem and watching the resulting mayhem.)

She knows the pirate flag over their heads stands for something ( _dreams, adventures, defiance_ ), understands that they would not take it down for anything, but as Nami fights a fever for her life, as innocent people shoot at Luffy and this miraculous ship it makes her wish they could see what she sees – these wonderful kind people who give hope.

Luffy bows his head and pleads for help, but the kingdom's soldiers don't listen. They see pirates, they see evil, they see the money of his bounty. A second shot falls, then a third and Vivi knows its over when Luffy raises his head and stands up, and his eyes are colder than the snow and ice surrounding them, darker than the sea at night.

Her hands drifting to her own weapons, she feels sorry for these people, but Nami's pain is burned into her vision and as a princess of a kingdom (pirate) she draws a line. If they will not help Nami then…-

\- they will be made to.

xXx

The human is getting better and Chopper is glad, because the sooner she is better and the sooner she and her companions will leave.

….it's not that Chopper wants the first pirates he's ever met to leave. It's just…

"Heeeeeey! Monster! Join my crew!"

That.

He hadn't run this much this far, this fast through the forest since, well, _ever_ , but the human with the straw hat Just. Won't. Stop.

It takes Chopper hours until he's finally lost the human (he hopes) and begins his trek back to the big tree that Doctorine and he call their home when he smells something. Blood.

His ears twitch and pick up the metallic clash of weapons before shouts and voices get audible, and he comes to a dashing stop, hooves digging grooves into the snow.

Drum Kingdom's soldiers have his home surrounded, guns and swords rised.

Doctorine leans against the doorway. The pirates are around her. There is a tornado tearing into the soldiers.

The tornado stops and it's actually the blond human who wanted to cook him. He's smoking a cigarette and looking like the virtual _platoon_ is nothing more than an annoyance.

A relatively short amount of time and a rumble ball later, the army lies in the snow, defeated, and Chopper stares at the humans that have invaded his home with an open mouth. Even that bull-human was defeated.

(Chopper remembers him. And he watched him closely. He seemed almost happy to call the army to retreat if a bit worried.)

Now that they have fought together, the blond human stops trying to make him into food and Chopper can start looking after the sick human again. The others make camp in front of their door and celebrate their friend's growing health, ignoring the cold like no humans he's ever seen.

They are so strong! Is that what pirates are like?

But even if they are strong, they'll leave (…) and now the army found where they live. Doctorine and Chopper will have to move.

It never comes to that.

With the strike force that had been send to capture the pirates having been defeated so soundly, even more are back the next day in addition to the bull-man and two other humans that Chopper knows are important in the Drum Kingdom. While they get sent home packing as well, the real trouble starts when on the third day Warpol himself comes down from the castle.

Warpol comes down from the castle, and the straw-hatted human bursts out of the forest - from which he had not reappeared since Chopper managed to loose him three days ago - _riding a Lapan,_ laughing, followed by an entire _herd_ of the _vicious, violent flesh eating monster rabbits._

Who promptly start chewing on the soldiers and gleefully listen to gleeful shouts of the gleeful human.

At least, Chopper is gratified to note, he isn't the only one whose jaw thunks into the snow.

Then he has no time for shock, because the human is back to badgering him into becoming his crew-member. A short respite is only granted when Warpol shakes his shock off, starts chewing on the Lapans in red faced fury and promptly gets sent _literally_ flying (definitely off the island at that angle and a good bit at that, Chopper estimates) by the straw-hatted human who can _stretch and is made of rubber_ because Warpol hurt the Lapans and the Lapans are the straw-hatted human's friends.

The terrifying blank expression melts as the human looks back at Chopper, an eager mischievous smile growing on his face and Chopper's fur stands on end. He _runs_.

It doesn't help.

xXx

Her life and her history are one and the same. Robin lives for history; her history, the world's.

Once, her life was saved by a giant bearing an initial that even he did not the meaning of.

History repeats itself and her life is saved by a boy carrying the same letter in his name. She's heard rumors of it, whispers spoken behind hands in awe, in surprise, in defeat, as pure statement of recognition.

D and the Will of D.

She doesn't know what they mean yet, but now she thinks she can start grasping the merest outline of it. Something that, as of yet, she can no more put into words than she can put a storm in a jar.

Monkey D Luffy is strong and impulsive. Willful and determined. Warm and terrifying. But when he needs to lead his crew he is (shockingly) responsible.

At his wish they fly into the sky, on his whim they challenge a god and for him dreams are not something that might exist or might not but something that simply hasn't been found yet. Sky Island exists. One Piece exists. Rio Poneglyph exists. And Gol D Roger was Pirate King, why shouldn't he be able to read the words the World did its best to kill?

("Why should the freest man in the world care about letters and languages? It's like what those words say changes just cause its a different language, right?" Lying on his back on the Merry's figurehead there is honest puzzlement on Luffy's upside-down face as he does not see the greatest barrier put between the world and its secrets, and Robin thinks that for the first time she understands (one of) the complexities that make up her captain.)

(She smiles and says with an ease she thought lost years ago, "yes. Yes, it is, Captain.")

Maybe she shouldn't have gotten involved with him. But it had just turned out that way, there had been no conscious decision on her part and no decision on his aside from an offhand "sure, welcome". They had just collapsed into this.

This.

A government flag burning over her head in the eternal sky. The center and symbol of the world's justice laying in chaos and falling to ruins before her eyes. Seven people challenging the world for _her_.

"SAY IT ROBIN! I HAVEN'T HEARD IT FROM YOU YET!"

Saul's ghost is in her ears.

Shards of her life resemble, are ground into dust, spring into detail and _nothing matters but this moment (_ this dream _,_ **this force,** _this typhoon's eye_ _)._

"I WANNA LIVE!"

xXx

As everyone knows, Franky is SUPER. He's a SUPER delinquent, a SUPER ship-salvager (shipwright), a _SUPER_ cyborg. Of course someone like Straw Hat wants him on his crew.

Franky totally understands.

A super pirate needs a SUPER ship and a SUPER shipwright for SUPER adventures they are going to have.

While saying goodbye to Water Seven is one of the hardest things in his life, it is one of the easiest too, because Franky wants to go. Really, _really_ wants to.

"Come on board of my ship, Franky! Or I won't give your pants back. Shishishishi!"

So yes, Franky has no issues with becoming a Straw Hat, becoming a pirate and he more than enjoys the SUPER trip he is on on the way to building a legend.

There is no doubt in his mind that the next Pirate King is going to be Luffy. Who else could? Franky barely understands what that title means ("I'm proud with a DON of building a ship for the man called Roger!"), can barely comprehend the sheer size of it because it is not _just_ finding the final island, that's just the easiest definition.

But whatever it is, Franky cannot imagine that a Pirate King can be anything other than what Luffy is (will become). He is beyond and above human understanding, a really super grand person, how _could_ there be any other future than that of the freest man in the world for him?

Now Franky only needs to make sure that the ship is up to the wild ride and worthy of carrying the future Pirate King.

And damn, will it be.

xXx

What Brook knows best is fog and mist and loneliness and ghosts. They have been his companions for more than half his life and he is all too happy to leave them behind on Lion-chan.

He's had so many dreams of leaving this dead prison behind, but never once had he considered that it might as a part of such a colorful crew.

Never had he considered that he might continue his journey to fulfill the promise made to the last one of his comrades still alive from over fifty years ago. To travel around the world and meet again at Reverse Mountain upon once again entering the Grand Line.

Book has been given this chance in a tumble of miracles.

Strangers met his ship, strangers were not afraid of him, strangers wanted to have him in their crew. Strangers went and challenged and fought a pirate of the likes Brook had never seen before. Strangers that he now has the honor of calling his comrades _won_.

In the years he spend in the Triangle he missed a lot and he hadn't known there could be a king of pirates before, he hadn't even known the name Gold Roger, but none of it matters. The grandness of the goal, the length of the road ahead – Brook doesn't need to know them.

All that matters is that his Captain, Monkey D "Straw Hat" Luffy, decided that Pirate King was what he is going to be and so be it.

"Brook~! Play a song!"

"Yes play a song! Play a song!"

"Yohohohoho! As you wish. What would you like to hear?"

"You pick!"

Brook is surrounded by life and noise. Robin-san reads a book on a lawn-chair, Nami-san tends to her tangerines and from the crows nest the faint thud of heavy weights can be heard. Brook wonders if he should inform Chopper-san of it, because while Brook might not understand how great the ambition of the young boy he follows is, he has been made more than aware of the dangers.

He would devote his life to this, to what he has now, to what he has been granted, but that has already happened somewhere along the brightest night of Brook's life, naturally and easily.

Brook is only one of many who are loyal and devoted their captain, who live and die for him, who are completely taken in by him and his life.

Brook loves this life and Luffy-san for offering it to him.

He is but one of many.

xXx

Luffy didn't remember at first.

Camie is his friend. If she doesn't feel safe enough to fulfill her dream unless they're there to look out for her, of course Luffy will help. He wants to go to the amusement park anyway, so there.

Unlike his nakama, she isn't strong though and Luffy has to look out for her like he used to look out for his brothers, and the bad man in the rabbit costume is fun so long as he is wearing the costume and the ice and balloons are nice. But Luffy still punches him into the ground with enough force to split the mangrove when he tries to take Camie and _offers a price to buy her_ when they don't let him.

That is that and they continue playing in the amusement park even though it takes time to make it fun again because everyone is suddenly tense and looking over shoulders. But fun it does become again – the roller-coaster! So exciting!

Then more men come – Luffy recognizes stupidly smug grinning friends of the rabbit-guy; he should have hit them too and not let them run – and even some with uniform, though its not marines.

"In the name of Saint Charlos, hand over that mermaid! Saint Charlos decrees for it to be kept in his aquarium."

The amusement park isn't fun anymore.

All the other people run and scream and Luffy wouldn't care for that except even the people making the rides run are gone.

Luffy doesn't know what a Saint Charlos is.

He tells the men so and also that Camie is his friend and not a thing and if they don't stop talking about her like that he's going to kick their asses.

Camie is trembling and afraid, clutching Hachi's jacket, eyes wide and pale. In the amusement park that she always dreamed about.

"Sorry Camie," Luffy says on the way back to Shakky's after he made good on his threat. "I said it would be fine but they ruined your fun anyway."

Camie shakes her head and smiles bravely. "No, it's fine. Thank you, Luffy. For taking me to the park and protecting me. It was really fun." But Luffy can see the fear still in her eyes.

Luffy crosses his arms and huffs. He isn't happy with this. Maybe he could-

Huh. People are kneeling again. Left and right and making a street for those rich something-or-other people. It itches at the back of his mind, that _making space_ , but he can't remember why.

Though he isn't in the mood to kneel even at the request of a friend, but he lets them drag him into a building.

To hide. Luffy doesn't like this. At all. If he hides he hides because he wants, because fighting marines is annoying or to play hide and seek. Not because he must.

But he gets it. He isn't strong enough to fight an Admiral yet as Aokiji proved, his friends are afraid and if Luffy doesn't listen to them they'll be even more afraid. Luffy would ruin Camie's day.

"Saint Charlos! What brings you here?" That's the sniveling voice of the suit wearing guy that had ordered the soldiers around.

Outside of the house Luffy hears a someone sniffing. It doesn't sound like a sad sniff.

His friends have pulled the curtains closed, but Luffy can still hear the outside as he raids the pantry. "What's taking you so long, fool?! Where's my mermaid?"

Luffy twitches. His friends' sudden terror has them cower against the walls.

"...ah, Saint Charlos, there was some unexpected interference-"

"I don't want your excuses! Where is my mermaid? I want her in my fish-tank with the piranhas!"

"Ah, er, yes. We've...ah, been following them...they're hiding out in that building however, my Lord -"

"What?! Hiding? How dare they? Come out now, fish! You belong to me!"

Luffy keeps eating. It's not like he cares about what someone says or claims since its obviously nothing close to true. Camie doesn't belong to anyone and anyone who thinks so is stupid.

However...

The door gets thrown in and more of those spike headed uniform people block the light. Luffy chews annoyed. Haven't they learned their lessons yet?

Apparently not, because Luffy has to punch them both 'cause they were all pompous and self-something that marines tend to be when they try to arrest him and it was instinct when they looked at Camie like that.

His friends _eep_. Luffy kicks the body of a third one out the door with enough power that it flies.

And oops? Looks like someone was in the line of fire.

The bubble man seems have fallen on his behind as the projectile passed him and the expression on his face is so funny that Luffy has to point and laugh and that makes it even funnier.

"...Luffy." Chopper tugs at his shorts, looking up at him with anxiety. Which kind of reminds Luffy why he was supposed to avoid the bubble-head.

Luffy grins and says, "Let's run!"

Camie and Hachi and Pappag are a bit white in the face. Maybe they didn't eat enough meat? But they nod eagerly and Luffy stretches an arm out to the roof of the next building -

A gunshot falls.

The bullet bounces harmlessly away from Luffy. A deadly sort of quiet falls. Everyone is staring in horror and shock and what (if Luffy were the type to use such words) could only be described as gut-clenching horrified dread.

Luffy turns his head, motion to escape aborted. His gaze falls on the shooter, his head tilting in a way that his friends recognize but no one else identifies as a warning. "Camie isn't yours. And she isn't for sale." He states. This situation is becoming awfully familiar and it's not a nice memory that it reminds him of.

Picking a fight is bad, Admirals he can't fight yet.

The onion-man stomps his feet and shouts, and Luffy doesn't bother to listen to the sniveling, waiting for actions to tell him what he needs to know.

The pistol gets pointed at Hachi, and Camie, and more of those stupid pointy headed uniform guys charge.

Luffy doesn't let them of course. But defending them and his friends against those pointed people with a bigger threat looming on the horizon makes something click.

And he _remembers._

On this island, all and everything is chartered to these people. Like to the nobles of Goa Kingdom. They steal freedom, they steal even emotions and they steal even the right to say _no_.

No one is even allowed to _say_ they don't want this.

They aren't allowed to live as they want.

Everything happens because those strange people say so and not even because those people _want_ what is done for them. They feel like it already is theirs, like it's their right. That sort of chocking blanket is _familiar._

Like Sabo's father taking Sabo away from them because it's what _he expects_ and not what _Sabo_ wants.

Everyone on this archipelago moves out of the way for these people to pass by and if they don't a marine admiral is called? That's _exactly_ like what Dogra said happened to Sabo! Luffy's little brother, on his way to the freedom that he never reached.

And now this sniveling little _weak_ man wants to take Camie?

Like his little brother was taken from him?

Rage invades Luffy's vision.

Everyone is looking at Hachi like he is a monster. That bad man says Hachi is going to be his slave? Un-free like Sabo was?

Luffy.

 _Doesn't._

Think.

 **So.**

A fight with marine admirals is not one he wants to pick at this moment, he can't protect his crew from them, but.

No one takes a friend from Luffy. _No one_.

* * *

In the end, though, it doesn't matter. His feelings aren't enough. His fists are too soft. His determination isn't hard enough.

His Will isn't sharp enough.

As he is, he can't even protect his friends.

He is TOO WEAK!

Even though he promised himself he would **NEVER** be too weak again.

He failed.

 _Again_.

(He feels useless and like the crybaby Ace always accuses him of being.)

(Luffy misses him. But Ace is still back on Dawn Island, growing stronger for his own adventure.)

(Ace. Luffy is his big brother. What sort of big brother is he if he falters? If he needs to rely on his little brother to stand back up? None at all. He can't protect his little brother like this either.)

Luffy will become _stronger_.

* * *

TBC

* * *

 _...this idea sort of mutated from an innocent contemplation on what life would be like if Roger hadn't died and if the brothers had grown up together between the Roger Pirates and the Revolutionary Army. No Ace struggling to find his place in the world, no straw hat and no Pirate King dream for Luffy, instead sailing together and forming a crew (not necessarily pirates) together and taking their time and just wanting to sail happily and having adventures - lots of potential for hilarity and confusion. As in whose children are they, Garp's-wait-those-are-my-grandkids?!, casually kicking butt because they may look innocent but are anything but, and it's not their fault people want to take Robin from them. Stuff like that._

 _How did_ this _happen from_ that _? Just. How._

 _Anyway._

 _As always, please drop me a review so that I know how I did with_ reflections.


	2. gathering hurricane

reflections on broken waves

* * *

gathering hurricane

* * *

On the day Ace sets sail it's raining. Well, given that it is the middle of winter Ace appreciates that it is raining and not snowing. That would have been a bother since he can't very well start a campfire on his little boat.

Makino and the bandits wave him goodbye and Ace has never felt as free as he does in the moment where he turned towards the sea and lets it carry him away.

Somewhere out there, the life he's been longing for for seventeen years is waiting for him. He will know what it means to be truly free, cast off the chains of his blood and _live_ it.

Without regrets.

(Somewhere out there, he will meet Luffy again.)

xXx

"Oh, hey you. That's a nice ship you've got there."

"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Ace." Ace nods decisively, making sure the wind doesn't blow his hat away. "My ship sank in a storm. Wanna come be pirates with me?"

"What -? No. Go away."

Ace slumps. "What a shame. And you've got such a nice ship there too."

"SO YOU WANT MY SHIP?! LEAVE YOU FREAK!"

xXx

"I don't believe it."

Ace chuckles. "You better. This is only the beginning!"

His first crew mate Toby ignores him and stares back at the town they came from. Smoke may or may not be rising from it. "How did it come to this? Why did it come to this? How does being an innocent bystander end with my ship burning down? With people wanting my head on a spike? With riots? I'm just an innocent businessman. I don't believe it."

Tossing an apple up, he catches it on its descent with his teeth and swallows it whole. "You could have said no," he points out, swiping some juice away with his sleeves.

"HOW COULD I HAVE SAID NO IN THAT SITUATION?!"

Ace holds his hands up in defense. "Hey, it was just a misunderstanding. If you had stayed it could have easily been cleared up."

"HOW WAS YOU BEING FOUND SLEEPING IN THE ROOM OF THE MAYOR'S DAUGHTER A MISUNDERSTANDING?! AND WHY WAS I BLAMED JUST BECAUSE I DROPPED YOU OFF THERE TO BE THEIR PROBLEM?!"

"Hey, I saved her cat from the tree. She just invited me for food to say thanks."

"THEN WHY WERE YOU ASLEEP?!"

Ace shrugs. "That just happens sometimes."

"IT DOESN'T! AND THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN WHY YOU STOLE THE NATIONAL TREASURE OF A VISITING DIGNITARY'S KINGDOM!"

"….it looked like good food? Tasted horribly, though."

xXx

"...Ace, I'm almost afraid to ask, but what it that?"

The boy Toby for some reason decided to stick with despite the fact that he is almost single-handedly responsible for the destruction of his livelihood stands on the deck of their small ship.

It's not Toby's unfortunately, since his had lived only for a short time after Ace had _expressed his interest_ in it. But it's a nice ship, with cabin, sail, washroom and all.

(It's also stolen.)

(Toby wonders if that is to be counted as his first crime or if its just a footnote in the mess Ace had made.)

"Toby, meet Apis. Apis, meet Toby. We met stealing the same map from the Marine base."

"Hello, it's nice to meet you."

"She's going to travel with us. Her friend was sick and her family traveled on without her so Apis promised to help, er, what's the name?"

"Matabi."

"Right. So she promised Matabi that they'd look for her family together. They figure the Grand Line is a great place to start looking."

Toby takes a deep breath. He hadn't actually noticed the girl until Ace pointed her out, his attention a bit occupied with the _green-feathered,_ _horse-sized_ _dragon_ they flew in on, but he puts all that aside and focuses on the important things (a part of him dies at the thought that _a freaking dragon_ is not on the priority list). "That wouldn't be the reason why that warship is shooting at us now, is it?"

The girl, a teenager, definitely younger than the captain, and _how is it that with twenty-five he counts as an old guy_ , lifts her hand guiltily. "That is actually my fault, sorry. You see, I -"

Toby throws up his hands. "Never mind! I don't want to know. We're getting shot at!" How is it that he actually has to remind them of this?! "Ace, have you figured your devil fruit out yet?"

In demonstration the young pirate, who looks deceptively normal when not fighting or in the midst of mayhem or grinning that shit-eating grin, shoots out a fist at the ship following them.

It's Ace's feet that actually catch fire.

Brilliant. Now their second ship is going to fall apart under their feet.

* * *

"No way! Zoro was first?! Shishishishi! How didn't you get lost?"

"Luffy, you….!"

xXx

"You are Monkey D Luffy, are you not?"

Luffy finds a big fishman approaching them in the streets. Camie eeps."Who're you?"

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jimbei and there is something I wish to talk to you about."

Sanji makes a noise of surprise. "Jimbei…? Isn't that-"

"Sure, what do you want to talk about?"

"Perhaps if we could change location…? It's not a conversation for everyone."

"Lead the way, old man!"

"Oi, Luffy! Don't just follow! That's a Shichibukai, you know!"

xXx

"Jimbei! Over here, over here!" Luffy waves from the pool he playing in with the help of the cool bubbles while they wait for the Sunny to be finished coating. Chopper can't find out, though, because he'll tie Luffy to the bed and Luffy will die of boredom before his wounds are healed. "Have you come to join my crew?"

Jimbei isn't alone this time. He brought another fishman with him, this one also blue, also with big teeth, but lots thinner and a bit smaller. He's got a tattoo like an eight on his neck.

"A rookie crew, really Jimbei?" Says the other fishman to Jimbei, but he says it nicely, not upset or angry. More like he thinks its funny.

Jimbei just shakes his head, sighing in reply.

Luffy pouts because he will one day have Jimbei in his crew, he knows. If not today, then later. So he'll just have to keep asking.

"Luffy-san, this is Namur. He is the Commander of the Eighth Division of the Whitebeard Pirates."

Usopp makes a squeaky noise and faints, frothing at the mouth. Hopefully he doesn't drown.

"Whitebeard, Whitebeard," Luffy mutters, "Where have I heard that name before…?"

Usopp revives to smack him over the head. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! WHITEBEARD IS THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD! ONE OF THE EMPERORS! DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME YOU HAVEN'T HEARD OF HIM BEFORE!"

Luffy smacks a fist into his palm. "Oh, isn't he the guy whose flag hangs everywhere on the island?"

"LISTEN TO ME!"

The new fishman stares at him with an open mouth. For some reason Luffy often gets looked at like that.

Jimbei slowly drags a hand down his face before looking at Luffy again. "Yes, that's the flag of Whitebeard. He is a man I owe a great debt to, Luffy-kun. It all thanks to him that this island knows peace."

That gives Luffy a pause. "Huh...he's such a great guy that you respect him, huh. Jimbei?" Luffy rolls around on his bubble so that he looks at them upside down and grins. "I guess I'll want to meet him one day."

Namu-something shakes his head like a dog trying to get dry. "Right. Well, it's actually on behalf of that Whitebeard that I'm here, Straw Hat. Hordy and his New Fishman Pirates' attack was a surprise and we didn't have any forces around here to help the King out. We don't need to usually. Pops' mark is enough of a deterrent."

Luffy nods understandingly. "Respect the skull."

"...Yes, actually." The Whitebeard guy says sort of wondering and sort of surprised (like he didn't expect Luffy to understand what he's talking about which is silly - Pirate flags stand for conviction. And dreams and nakama and freedom. Of course it's got to be treated with respect.) "You protected this island for us and we owe you for that. Pops would like to meet you and thank you personally."

As Luffy hums, Usopp melts into the water, his eyes spinning like from a roller-coaster. "I don't need thanks. I just did what I wanted to. Friends of mine are living on this island after all. Plus, Hordy pissed me off." He smiles widely.

"….Luffy..." Usopp moans in despair. "...don't..."

"But you can tell your Captain-dad guy that I'm glad he cares about Fishman island. I would have had to come, kick his ass and make this my turf otherwise."

Usopp smacks him into the water and shakes him. "LUFFY! DON'T YOU DARE GO PICKING FIGHTS WITH EMPERORS _BEFORE WE EVEN SET A TOE_ INTO THE NEW WORLD! ARE YOU CRAZY?!"

Luffy can't help laughing.

"Yeah, no, I get it." Says the other pirate, he's smiling now, a little bit sharp with pointy teeth and eyes that look at Luffy as though he's trying to puzzle something out. "Upstart rookies and all that. Listen kid, King Neptune already says you're welcome here, but we'll extend this invitation too. I doesn't go for the rest of our territory, but on Fishman Island the Whitebeard Pirates welcome the Straw Hats."

"Shishishishi! That's nice! But we're still gonna fight one day 'cause I'll be Pirate King!"

"Luffy-san!" "Luffy!"

But Luffy thinks he likes the Whitebeard Pirates because the fish guy doesn't make fun of him and doesn't take it as an insult either, just snorts, waving a hand like _hey, that's fine and all, but we'll see about_ _that_ as he leaves.

Yes, Luffy decides he likes this guy indeed and probably this guy's captain too if Jimbei speaks so highly of him. Meeting them will be fun and fighting them probably too.

Luffy feels the grin on his face widen. "Hey you!" He calls to the retreating guy. "We're having a feast later today! You come too!"

* * *

 _Why_ hasn't he given up this short pirating career yet?

(Ace made it clear that it's a standing option. Everyone is their own man with their own choices and their own free life to live, he said.)

It's not like the kid would drown without him, he's got a slightly crazy girl to fish him out.

("WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU ATE A DEVIL FRUIT TOO?!")

(Or other crewmates to fish him out.)

But then he doesn't think it responsible to let a young man and a young woman (fourteen apparently, but she's not going to stay that young) travel the world without supervision.

(Ace said he could leave any time. On the first island after that first disaster, Toby almost did.)

Toby doesn't want to be a pirate, never did. His ambition in life had been as simple as home to call his own, eventually meeting a pretty girl and then having a family.

(He tried that in a town they stopped at for resupply. Got himself a date, looked at possible market niches. Then he spaced out in the middle of said date worrying about what mess Ace was getting himself into while he wasn't watching, how to best brave the wild escape, and when he came back to himself, the only future he could see with the girl in front of him was...not enough.)

"Our next stop is Loguetown!" Ace declares. The crew has grown since their rather humble start, they're seven people now (plus a dragon) and much to Toby's horror he's the one people look to as first mate.

(Even more to his horror, he finds he _has already slipped into the role._ )

(Funny except not at all. He definitely hadn't been the type that couldn't turn down challenges before he met Ace. Now he is. And everything connected to Ace is _definitely_ a challenge.)

xXx

It's been in his dreams, this place. In his dreams and nightmares.

The scaffold the Pirate King died on.

His (he forces himself to breath out, he's got to stand to it in this place even if nowhere else) father died in this place.

He grabs a passer-by rudely and probably with way too much force going by the reaction, but he can't help it. Just averting his eyes from what _used_ to be the symbol of Justice's Triumph and The Death of The Demon keeps his vision arrested. "What happened here?"

The scowling man wearing a baker's garb lets himself be distracted from his indignation at Ace's rudeness as he follows Ace's spellbound stare. "Oh. That." He scoffs. "Didn't you read the papers? The story is already, what, three years old now."

Obviously not or he wouldn't be asking, but Ace bites his tongue. "We didn't always get newspapers back home. If it isn't too much of a bother, could you tell me? What happened to scaffold, I mean."

The burly man gives him a skeptical look but then rolls his shoulders as though to say _what the hell why not._ "It was some pirates, what else? Some crew vs crew. Anyway, one of them was to be executed up there. But before that happened a freak lightning strike hit the scaffold. I don't know. I wasn't here that day. A load of bull if you ask me." He shrugs, annoyed at his day having been interrupted by Ace and continues on his path, blending back into the masses.

Ace stares after him, then has his gaze drift to the place where the execution grounds are supposed to be instead of unobstructed sky.

"You, boy. It's not a load of bull." The low voice near Ace's hear has him jump and whirl around, and _damn_ , it's _bad_ , fire flickers in sparks over his skin – he is hair-trigger on edge in this place.

An old waiter of the cafe he stopped next to at looks at him; stares, really, a bit creepily and without blinking.

"Excuse me?"

"I was working that day. I saw the entire thing." Says the waiter, eyes glazing over and voice gaining a strange tone. "I was working the day the Pirate King was killed too. Not here, mind. The cafe didn't exist yet, in one of those big hotels there." With his hand he gestures at a row of luxurious buildings on the other side of the plaza. A single corner of the guy's wrinkled mouth lifts as though he has forgotten how to move the second. A bit unhinged, Ace concludes. A shudder runs down his spine as the words start to sink in. Someone who was _there_.

The waiter isn't done yet. "Three years ago, it was as though I was right back in that moment. When the King died." He breaths, almost reverently. "I tell you. _That_ pirate, _that_ day, _that_ smile in the moment of death." As though he still can't believe it, he shakes his head, gray strands glinting in the winter sun.

Bile gathers at the back of Ace's throat. Someone, who was there _that day_ when Ace's life-

The old waiter's eyes glow with eerie light. "That young pirate was _dead_. He _smiled_. But the _gods_ decided otherwise because _in that moment_ lightning struck. The scaffold _burned_ and crumbled. Like paper, like _nothing_." Ace can't helps a reflexive glance at where it was supposed to stand, almost expecting to find fire there, so intently does the man speak.

"And out of the rubble, without so much as a scratch _that pirate stood_." Ace recognizes the glint in the man's eyes now – it's like Bluejam's was in the middle of that fire, all but dead and still screaming about gold. Ace is stronger now and doesn't run, but it doesn't help the nausea.

"I never believed in god or faith before," the black clad waiter continues, confidently, in a deeply reverent whisper,"how _could_ there be gods? When the ultimate triumph of good over evil resulted in this Pirate Age." He shakes his head, but his eyes don't leave Ace's. "I don't know if it's gods, but _something_ is out there. And that something wanted that pirate to _live_."

Ace hides his trembling fists with crossed arms. With an effort of will he banishes the picture the old man's words paint, of Roger, of Bluejam. For the first time since he ate his devil fruit, he is shivering. He scoffs. "Yeah, right. Gods don't exist. And if they did, I'd kick their ass for this crazy bad job they did with this world."

Inexplicably, the waiter burst out laughing at that, loudly. Unhinged definitely. People around them stop to stare.

Just as Ace wonders if he should make himself scarce, the old waiter leans forward, into his personal space, and says quietly, so that only Ace can hear-

"That pirate was the _Straw Hat._ "

And he _laughs_ again.

\- and Ace _staggers_. His legs carry him a step back as they fight for balance.

Whatever the mad waiter sees on his face, it makes him grin and return to his work, whistling a cheerful tone.

Ace doesn't notice or care, tumbling away into the masses.

"Oi, kid. What are you -?"

Ace shakes the steadying hand off. The humans around him blur as he pushes through, feels the ground more unsteady than in the worst storm, all noise blends together as the world loses its color.

Suddenly, it's Luffy that he sees dying on the pictures of that day. His brother, smiling. Never tall but still so big against the world, so bright and warm that Ace for the first time learned what love is. His big brother, who -

The scaffold.

In his nightmares it had always been the same; its form might have changed, the people watching might have, what they screamed at him might have, but it was always the place Ace's life _ended_ – killed for his blood, _in chains_ , as a monster, without freedom, with everything he ever touched in ashes.

In his rare good dreams about it….well. Ace can't quite recall, but they must have included the feeling of reckless abandon. Nothing able to tie him down, the sky blue, the ocean a darker blue, both meeting at the horizon, inviting and promising – that kind of feeling.

Staring dumbly at the heap of scrap metal that is still kept as a reminder of _that_ day, he can't help but think that in his dreams it might have looked something like this.

Rust on metal, rotting wood scrapes, original shape not even recognizable in an off-limits area that is the only remnants of the World's greatest triumph.

...It is _nothing._

Just rubble.

A relict of the past.

Whatever it once meant or was, it's **_gone_ **_now_.

Gone, like the Pirate King, the man who gave him life and who would have been his family.

Whatever shackles this place, this _symbol_ had on the world, they are broken.

And on Ace, too.

The Pirate King, Gol D Roger's death, is _the past_.

The next era is beginning, has already started when this place _fell_ , and Ace is not the son of the previous King, but just one more pirate racing for the top.

 _Luffy…_

 _Thank you._

* * *

"...Luffy. We just picked a fight with WHO?"

"Former Marine Admiral."

"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS DOING THIS TO US?!"

"Shishishi! Don't sweat it. It's gonna be fine."

"FINE?!" His navigator screeches. "LOOK AT ME! I'M A KID AGAIN! MY BEAUTIFUL WOMANLY BODY IS GONE! I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH PUBERTY AGAIN!"

* * *

"Hey, you, Flower-man -"

"It's Crocus."

"-is it just me or does the whale have something painted on his head?"

Crocus turns a page of his newspaper, totally unconcerned by the pirates docking at his lighthouse. "It's a pirate flag."

Ace feels the grin on his face growing to giant proportions. "It's a Straw Hat skull, isn't it?" He asks, eagerly.

Looking up, Crucus turns an expressive eyebrow on him. "If it is?"

"Tell me the story behind it. Please."

All of a sudden Apis is at his side. "Yes, tell us the story please!"

"Don't you have some better way to kill time for the log pose to set?"

"That's my brother," Ace pouts, pointing at the butchered straw hat flag at the same time as Apis' "he's my friend."

What?

His head whips around to find Apis staring at him, mirroring his stunned expression.

"Brother?"

"Friend?"

Crocus snorts, turns another page. "See that you're all caught but between yourselves before you go bother old men to waste their precious breath."

* * *

"Huh, who're you? Oh, if it isn't Smokey! His Smokey! Ah, he's defeated. You did that? Who're you?"

"Luffy. That man is Trafalagar Law. One of the Shichibukai."

"What?! Really?"

"Straw Hat-ya. How convenient. There's something we should talk about. If you're interested."

xXx

"WHY THE HELL ARE WE PICKING A FIGHT WITH THE WORST OF ALL SHICHIBUKAI AND A YONKO AT THE SAME TIME?!"

Luffy ignores Usopp shouting at Torao and puts on his best pathetic face. "Sanji~.Food."

"Oi, we just had a feast. How the hell can you be hungry again?"

"Shishishishi! Picking fights and kidnapping scientists is hard work. Feeeed me. Sanji~."

"Alright, alright. I got it. Go fish something. I'll cook it for you."

"Yay! Zoro, lets see who can catch more fish! Hands and swords only!"

"NO!"

Stars dance through Luffy's vision, bumps grow on his head. Nami takes him by the neck and shakes until his eyes spin.

"FORGET FISH, FORGET ONE MEASELY SEA KING! THE LAST TIME YOU DID THAT WE HAD FREAKING TWELVE OF THEM ON OUR TAIL WANTING TO TEAR US LIMB FROM LIMB!"

"Oi, Luffy, want me to make some _super_ sea king bait?"

"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!"

"Thanks Franky! That would help a lot!"

* * *

"Captain, Captain! Look! This arrived with the morning paper!"

Toby's stomach sinks as Ace's face lights up. This is, mind you, before Ace even knows what the deal is. It's just instinct for trouble and bad ('interesting' in Ace's words) things.

Toby's instincts are telling him that the hole just keeps getting deeper.

A sturdy flier paper changes hand, and Ace whoops in delight. "A bounty! I've finally got a bounty! Yes!"

Yeah, the hole is definitely deeper than Toby is tall now and he has always been at the upper end of body-sizes. Probably too late to climb out of now.

Instead of running, he just takes the piece of meat from the hand that isn't holding the flier so that the boy they call captain doesn't descent to truly bestial table manners in this important moment.

It kind of says something that Ace, who protects his food as fiercely as his crewmates, doesn't even notice.

Ace jumps up on the table, holding up a mugshot of his face. "Check this out everyone! We're Wanted! 'Fire Fist' Ace for forty million berry!"

The moderate chaos that the galley turns in in the mornings all but explodes. The crew roars with cheers. Shoulders are clapped and congratulations fly.

"It's a party!" Ace laughs.

Surprisingly, Toby observes that Ace withdraws himself from the festivities once they get going. He sits in his place, poster in hand, a small giddy smile on his face and Toby hears him murmur, "I'm later, but ten million more."

* * *

"He did it! Yes, he finally did it! Look guys! This is my little brother!"

Luffy dances over the deck, a wanted poster in his hands.

The rest of the ship is gob-smacked silent.

Glances trade wordless conversations of _did I hear that right yes you did_ Luffy _has a_ brother _what the hell_.

Several brains break on the attempt to picture Luffy as a _brother_ , as a _big_ brother and _how is the world still standing?!_

"Oh my, I didn't know you had a sibling, Luffy. May I see the bounty?" Begins Robin, recovering with the speed of a pro, now entirely unfazed.

The picture is shoved in her face, and as Luffy continues dancing and laughing, the crew huddles with light speed. All eight heads plus guests inspect the flier with the same sort of horrified wonder one would give a sea king inviting them for tea, a medical curiosity or the sudden sprouting of Roger himself on their deck.

The face looking (grinning) out of the picture has black hair, dark eyes, freckles and a rather (unfortunately) familiar smile.

As one they look to the captain of the ship they are standing on.

Back at the picture.

Back at the present pirate, who is just performing a particularly impressive delighted spin and who turns to them with his iconic grin, hands on his hips.

 _Yeah, I can see the resemblance._

"Hey, Nami! When Ace reaches Shabaody, we gotta make a detour to Fishman Island! I promised him we'd meet up."

"Oi, Straw Hat-ya! We're about to fight one of the Emperors. There won't be time to take a vacation to the sea floor!"

Luffy laughs, bright and happy and loud and with reckless abandon. "Who cares about stuff like that. My little brother is a pirate now! Let's party!"

* * *

Ace didn't mean to set the ship on fire. Honest.

At least it's not his own this time.

It's this other pirate ship that they encountered and decided to fight, size and rob blind.

But there was this treasure crest, a swiftly burned lock, and the shock of a lifetime when an old lady shoots out like some jack-in-a-box. Setting the treasury of the enemy ship on fire with a fire fist that almost obliterates the old woman too...just happened. Reflex.

He's very sorry for that, so of course he agrees to give the old lady a ride. The story of a legendary treasure sounds interesting too. It's gonna be fun!

xXx

"Ace?"

"Yeah?"

Apis chews her lip, unsure how to phrase it.

The pirate captain she decided was the best choice (for some reason) to travel the world with and search for her partner's family shoves a whole plate of noodles into his mouth, waiting expectantly.

Really, him being Luffy's brother explains a lot about Apis' turn to piracy and the instant inexplicable comfortable feeling she had around him.

(It's also extremely obvious in moments like this.)

Luffy would look at her with the exact same expression, waiting for her to find words with a patience one would not expect him to have.

"There's something...that's bothering me on this island. Can I take some time off?"

Ace pulls up a shoulder and lets it fall, and it's permission before he even speaks the words. "Go ahead. Looks like we'll be a bit busy with the riddle anyway. Do you want some of the guys to come along?"

She blows out a breath. "No, it's fine. Thanks. I'll call if something comes up."

"Make sure you do!" He calls after her. "I'd like a good fight!"

Apis smiles against her good sense. Ace always likes a good fight. And, as counterproductive it may seem, hard fights also seem to be good for his well-being. They make him really come alive.

(If not a fight, then some large scale chaos/destruction/mayhem/take your pick. It's always kind of fun to watch.)

xXx

"Oi, Captain Ace! These shells are pure gold! Can you believe that?"

"What?! Really? Alright men, let's take as much of it as our ship can carry!"

"Ace, get over here!" Shouts Toby. His merchant mind is furiously trying to calculate the value of this much gold, but hits a road block with the sixth zero. Instead he goes over the store space they have on the ship and comes up with the result that they'd be able to take twice as much if Ace melts the shells down into something more easily handled. "With this we definitely have enough money for an overhaul of the Red Card. The very best even."

Ace grins, obligingly heating the gold until it glows and changes shape. "You know where we can find the very best?"

Toby goes through his mental catalog of ship-goods and the most expansive brands associated with them.

"Water Seven."

"Alright! Next goal is Water Seven!" Ace pauses. Considers. "Once we find an Eternal Pose for it, that is."

* * *

"Aokiji."

"Straw Hat. You have an issue with Donflamingo, too, don't ya?"

"...too?"

"We-ell. People killing, grand scale massacre and stuff. That's a bit over what he's allowed."

"I don't care." Blunt and to the point. All the more terrifying for it, now that sharp edges back that disregard of any other will. "What do you want? Don't get in my way."

"...I can't believe I'm saying this, but that's the last thing I want right now."

* * *

"So this is the Florian Triangle, huh. It's not much to look at."

"Given that it's fog everywhere…"

"Yeah, kind of a let down. And here I was, getting my hopes up after that brilliant trap with the god offerings..."

"DON'T BE DISAPPOINTED BY SMOOTH SAILING!"

"Hmmm. Apis, what's wrong? You're not looking good."

The girl rubs her arms, looking around uneasily. Her ferocious dragon is hiding in her shadow. "...I don't like this place. It's like there's some… _thing_ watching, an overwhelming presence. Like…."she breaks off, shuddering.

A scary grin splits Ace's face. "This is going to be interesting."

"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" Unbelievably, it's _Apis_ who clocks Ace one, the girl who is just one step down from their captain in craziness, usually right behind his reckless ideas and right next to him when he tilts his head and is puzzled by their reactions. "I'M TERRIFIED AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ADVENTURE?! THIS ISN'T A JOKE! IT FEELS A HUNDRED TIMES WORTH THAN _THIRTY PISSED OFF SEA KINGS_! THERE'S-"

 _Creak~_.

 _ **Thunk!**_

To the port-side of the ship, a giant wall appeared, painted like a mouth.

"Oh, nice," Ace observes, impressed. "Really creepy."

(Shichibukai Moria and his crew, Thriller Bark and its horrors: still reeling from the total defeat at the hands of the Straw Hats almost three years ago, are _utterly_ and _completely_ unprepared to meet the force that is the Spade Pirates and their captain.)

(Shichibukai Gekko Moria: defeated. Thriller Bark plundered and burned down: no longer sea worthy, the island-ship sinks.)

xXx

"Captain! It's terrible! Look here!"

Jones bursts into the galley again, a black bat at his shoulder. The first reaction of the crew is to flinch and go for their weapons, but it's pretty obvious that its not one of Moria's bats.

Moria's bats don't carry letters for one. Definitely not letters with the stamp of the Government.

Silence drops on the galley like the heavy lid of a coffin.

"Fuck me," mutters Ace, eying the letter that is dropped on his plate with disgust. "What the hell is _that_ supposed to be?" He's forgone wearing a shirt again today, torso and face splattered with the food he face-planted in earlier. He looks ridiculous, difficult to take serious, but the expression that darkens his face as he picks the paper up with two pinched fingers is a stark reminder of the dangerous pirate he's becoming.

Tearing the envelope open, Ace doesn't even pretend to be intimidated by the symbol on it and as he reads the letter, his scowl only grows darker until its a mask of revulsion. "They've _got_ the be fucking _kidding_ ," he grits out as he reaches the end. Seething, he tosses it at the first mate for further processing.

His eyes blaze with the fire that his skin is sparking with. "Excuse me, I've got to... _formulate_ a reply. Toby, give me that letter when you're done. I've got plans for it." He shoves violently away from the table, stalking out with the fluid grace that he gets when something is about to be punched and punched _hard_. The door swings closed behind him with an almost deafening thud.

As one, the crew turns to Toby, holding their breath. The tall, dark skinned man looses color as he reads the words, finally lifting his head to give the crew a piercing stare.

"It's an invitation to join the Shichibukai."

..." _ **WHAT?**_!"

Toby breathes out with difficulty. His fingers on the paper tremble. "...Ace is never going to accept it," he states with grim, resolute finality.

…and yeah, that's true.

Every member of the Spade Pirates is familiar with their captain's loathing of the Government and disregard for the marines. He'd cut his own arm off before being associated with either – and that is without taking into account that as a Shichibukai there would be rules and occasional orders to follow.

Apis slumps on the table, moaning, burying her head in her arms. "It was a nice dream while it lasted..."

"...yeah," the crew echoes as one, depressed.

xXx

"Wow, these things sure are convenient."

"...I think you're the only one who thought to use bubbles like that, Captain." Says Toby deadpan about Ace and his movable buffet in balloons.

"Well, that's their problem. But anyway, Toby, where did that takoyaki guy say this bar with the best guy for coating is?"

Toby thumps at the tiny building at the foot of a mangrove's stem.

'Shakky's Rip Off Bar' is printed on it in bold letters. Hard to miss, as promised.

Inside they find a man that has Toby turn in his sanity at the entrance and who Ace is somewhat, inexplicably, unhappily surprised by and tense around.

…Huh?

("You're Ace, huh? I didn't expect to see you here, but I heard a lot about you from Luffy. He couldn't stop talking about how much he looked forward to seeing you again. Said if he didn't train hard, you'd actually get around to beating him in a fight.")

(...'Luffy'? Could it be? ...nah.)

(...oh, who's he kidding, _of course_ it could be.)

(But Toby really, truly D _oesn't. Want._ _T_ _o._ _K_ _now_.)

(Ignorance is bliss.)

xXx

"Captain, why're we expected?"

"I've got no idea." Ace admits, baffled.

His friend sighs. "...Okay, whatever. I'm just glad that we don't have to try for the main harbor. I saw a marine warship there. I really don't want to test their temper after that reply that you shoved down the throat of that carrier bat."

Ace bristles. "They had it coming."

"Right," states his first mate, resigned and dubious in one. "Like I said, whatever. Anyway, what are your plans when we head into town? This technically counts as the first island in the New World, we'll be able to get our hands on information here we can't get anywhere else."

"Mmmm," agrees Ace. "I wanted -"

"OOOIIIIIII! ACEEEEE! Over here!"

The voice comes from land and it has Ace whip around on reflex. A slight figure is waving their arms as the Red Card glides close to dock. It's staggeringly familiar, from the exuberant greeting over the way the body coils up to the _projectile speed_ _following the hand latching on to the railing_ _-_

Crash!

Ace experiences the exalted feeling of being hit by the Rocket and _not getting blown away!_

Thank you Mera Mera Fruit!

"...ouch," wines the shadow in the dust cloud and it's so very great that they've got a shipwright on board. "What just happened?"

Luffy climbs to his feet, rubbing his head, wide smile growing at the sight of Ace. "A logia, huh?"

"Damn straight," Ace grins, pulling his arm back, marching forward. "Way better than rubber."

"Rubber is a cool power, you just don't get it." Scowls Luffy, also pulling his arm back.

Their respective right hands meet in a resounding clap and for the first time in three years, Ace gets his brother.

And gets tackled to the ground with a hug after the manly greeting. One that he can't escape from even with his powers. No fair!

"Shishishishi! I missed you Ace! Long time no see." Luffy grins down at him, wide and bright.

Ace can't help smiling giddily, but pushes Luffy away 'cause, well, his crew and he's got face to save which doesn't tend to survive long around Luffy. "What're you doing here?"

Luffy beams. "I promised we'd meet up, right. We just took a detour back to Fishman Island to visit. My guys can't wait to meet my little brother!"

"...BROTHER?!" Ace's crew roars.

For the first time, Luffy looks at them. "Huh? Who're you? Ace's nakama?"

They stare at him. Luffy stares back with his particular brand of expressionless that Ace has seen adults cower under. His crew doesn't. He's absurdly proud.

Then, from one moment to the other, Luffy smiles like the sun. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Luffy. Thank you for taking care of my little brother."

"NO REALLY?! _BROTHER?_! ARE YOU KIDDING US?!"

Luffy burst out laughing. "They're nice," he says to Ace.

"I know. That's why I chose them."

Luffy nods understandingly, but then his eyes get caught and start to sparkle. "Hey, is that -?"

"It's a dragon," says Apis, stepping forward. "Her name is Matabi. Hello, Luffy. Surprised?"

"...huh...dragon...you're somewhat familiar...No way! Apis?!"

xXx

"So, Luffy, how did you get us that nice wharf?"

"Oh, that?" His brother swallows a whole piece of meat whole. "I asked. The king and Weakstar and the princes are my friends."

Ace hums, clearing his own plate. "Seriously? How'd you manage that?" The waitress immediately takes his empty tableware and replaces it with more food.

Luffy pulls a face. "It's a really annoying story. Here's advice from your big brother; don't ever become a hero. It's annoying. Even when people give you meat. But I made lots of friends! One day I'll even get Jimbei to join my crew, you'll see."

Someone off to the side chokes.

They ignore it.

"Anyway, I heard you beat up that Moria bastard. Serves him right."

"Doesn't it ever," Ace agrees wisely, slurping a whole bowl of pudding with a straw. "Dropped the mast of his own ship on him. Then burned the whole thing down. How come you know him?"

Luffy grins around a sandwich. "He stole the shadow of my musician. So I kicked his ass. Moria was annoying, but the zombies and stuff were really fun."

"The monsters reminded me of the mountain, except they were rotting so we couldn't cook them."

"Yeah, that was a shame." They sigh in regret, and continue eating.

It's like coming home, battling rubber hands to defend his plate and plunder the enemy's plate at the same time. It's a ridiculously small thing, something stupid, but he's missed it sooooo much. The little things hurt at least as much as the big things.

"Oi, is your crew alright? They aren't eating anything," Luffy observes suddenly with stuffed cheeks.

Ace follows his line of sight. The restaurant is completely filled with Ace's crew, all tables pushed together to make a single big one that is heavy with food and drinks. His crew pays attention to neither, just gaping.

"What?" Ace demands with a full mouth.

"….don't mind us..." says Toby tonelessly with considerable effort. Abruptly he reaches for something far stronger than a beer and chucks it down with impressive speed. "... just trying to wrap our heads around that fact that a creature _related to you_ and _born earlier_ exists. I feel like there should be laws of nature against that, but then it's not like that would save us since you'd find a way to break them anyway." His focus gets lots in the bottle. "The ocean sure is a crazy place..."

Luffy chuckles. "You have a funny crew. But not as funny as mine!"

"Yeah, and I bet you're the most funny of them all. I'm not crazy like you, Luffy." Ace shoots at his brother, because gods, no, please spare him.

Half his crew makes strangled noises while the other half chokes on nothing again. Ace frowns at them. Someone laughs and it sounds a bit unhinged. Are they sick?

"Speaking of, where's your crew, Luffy?"

Luffy shrugs, and shovels cake into his mouth. "Somewhere around. Probably catching up with some of our friends here." He pauses. "Oh, yeah, Ace. I need some of your fingernails."

Ace's hand stops halfway to his mouth and he stares blankly. "...What?"

"It's for a mystery paper." Digging around in the pockets of his shorts, Luffy presents a white sheet of paper. It's torn at the edges like someone tried to make confetti with it or if someone chewed on it. Given Luffy, Ace bets on the latter. "This's mine. For you."

"….I don't get it." Ace states blankly.

"...oh! That's a vivre card, isn't it?" Speaks up Jones, eyes wide in wonder under brown hair and pinned to the paper. "Captain, that's great! If we've got a card like that from Straw Hat Luffy -"

"Not Straw Hat Luffy," Ace cuts in firmly, resolutely, halting his friend before he can get much further even if he doesn't understand what it's about. "From my big brother. ...but anyway, what's a vivre card?"

Jones unfreezes, then blinks before shaking his head determinedly to clear it. "Right, well, it's also called the paper of life – I've never seen one of them before, but they're supposed to – put it down for a moment, Captain. Yes like that. Now it's supposed to -"

"It moved!" Ace exclaims. Then promptly regrets his lapse in attention because now his plate is empty and it wasn't him. He shoots a glare at Luffy, who grins innocently, but his attention is soon caught by the paper again.

It really does move, in the direction of his brother if he isn't mistaken. Wait, doesn't that mean… "Isn't that like an eternal pose, only for a person?"

"Sure is." Luffy's eyes meet his and soften."My little brother should always be able to find me."

It's….Ace can't look at him, his gaze falling down at the innocent, inconspicuous paper. It means…

He snatches it up and stores it safely away. His as of now most important possession will need a good place to be carried around in. He'll have to think about that.

Luffy's expression is deeper than usual, all but glowing with warmth as he looks at Ace. "And I want Ace's – that's what the fingernails are for." When Ace glares, he sticks his lower lip out in a pout that is belied by the seriousness in his eyes. "Or I'll worry. The New World is really hard right now."

Some of Ace's crew swallow their nerves, anxiously gazing between each other. The air is heavier than before, and Ace, yeah, he gets it, maybe, but if it's more difficult doesn't that mean its all the more exciting? Why're they nervous?

"...Excuse me for saying that, but isn't the New World in chaos now because of you, Straw Hat-san? I mean, you started this all-against-all war when you took down Doflamingo, right?" Points one of Ace's friends out, and the tense silence turns awkward.

Not that Luffy cares. "Mingo had it coming," he says with an unconcerned shrug. Then he grins, "it's more fun this way," and laughs.

xXx

(Siblings, person-eternal-poses and madness aside, when one of the Straw Hats drops by the Red Card later to exchange all that important stuff that their captain forgot (and or couldn't be bothered with apparently in his excitement to hang out with his little brother) like Den Den Mushi numbers no one protests.)

(As much as meeting Straw Hat makes them appreciate how lightly they got off with Ace, fact is that Ace is still a trial by any sane man's standard and only less insane than his brother by some selective standards.)

(Case in point; their captain's decision for their course for the New World. "Let's go challenge Whitebeard!")

* * *

TBC

* * *

 _And here's the first leg of Ace's journey. I added Apis to his crew because I needed another character and I didn't want it to be another OC, and she just fit well into the dynamics._

 _Writing the Loguetown scene was really interesting (and a challenge to get the voice right) and I'm really looking forward to what you guys all think about it._

 _To clarify, Ace didn't take the same route as Luffy did, but since said routes start to merge as they go on, there's a slight overlap near the end of Ace's paradise journey. Also movie 7 is all Ace's. I even considered recruiting Rachet into Ace's crew, but he was difficult to write so I dropped it and I didn't, strictly speaking, need him either._

 _Luffy's adventures have just about caught up with canon now, which is why from here on out it'll be more or less vague on his side._


	3. breaking tempest

reflections on broken waves

* * *

breaking tempest

* * *

At several thousand meters above sea level on Matabi's back the wind cuts into her face like dozen knifes. Apis determinedly ignores it, using binoculars their navigator provided to scan the horizon while her open mind listens to fish and monsters, hoping to overhear evidence of the ship passing through.

It's big enough with plenty powerful presences that most animal tend to notice it.

Listening for voices to far down, looking, and flying at the same time is difficult, makes her head split with a headache. Apis doesn't particularly care.

Ace is gone. Taken from them.

 _Stolen._

How unfair was that, encountering the Emperor after five days of all out fighting against a Shichibukai?

Why did Ace not let them help?

(Why can't he _run_?)

They failed that day. As his crew, as his friends. As people.

They couldn't even stop the pirates from carrying their unconscious captain away.

Ace is gone...

They'll move heaven and earth to get him _back_.

(She knows Toby is one more blow away from punching in the number that Ace told them _not call under any circumstances!_ because its his adventure and he and his brother are enemy pirates and he can't rely on his big brother for fights that he picked.)

(Every time they finally catch up to the Whitebeards and are fought off without so much as catching a glimpse off their captain, the only thing that nonetheless stays their first mate and acting-captain's hand is doubt that, one of the Great Pirates or not, not even Straw Hat Luffy can help them against Whitebeard.)

(Not to mention that Luffy has his own Emperor(s) he picked a fight with.)

On the horizon, a small dot becomes visible. Apis takes out her tele-snail and calls the Red Card. Their goal sails at ten o'clock.

xXx

Something blue flickers above the ship, rising fast. It circles over the Moby Dick like a bird of pray -

\- before it comes _shooting_ at her and she only has _barely_ enough time to bring out her staff in an overhead guard.

Flash of blue. And a _voice_.

"Good job keeping finding us, yoi. It's getting kind of annoying, though, so...sorry about this."

Her ribs smart and she's free-falling in the next instant.

Apis struggles to catch her balance, to make her fall less like a tumble-

Matabi _screeches,_ her voice calling in Apis' mind, saying she'll catch her -

\- it's cut off.

(She survives the fall because the Phoenix catches her, drops her off on the Red Card as though he's an innocent bystander helping her home after one drink too many. She's near panic, because Matabi doesn't move, she _can't hear her_ _voice_ -

"I didn't hit her too hard, yoi" says the pirate casually, "should be fine. But definitely won't be able to fly for some time. Take a rest, people. Your captain is fine, yoi. We're not harming him, just convincing him to join.")

(He flies off under gun and canon fire, because like _hell_ they'll believe that.)

(...it is odd though that they haven't been wiped out yet – the Whitebeards are more than capable of it.)

xXx

Ace looks at his brother's vivre card.

It's nothing more than an assurance that Luffy is alive and out there, Ace can't really do anything with it. It's just, if Ace would call for help, Luffy would come.

(Regardless of the fact that Ace _never_ would, of course, he can't just let himself be rescued.)

The tiny piece of paper in his hand is reassurance. That he is _not_ hopeless.

(Putting aside that he doesn't have a way to contact Luffy...)

But that's not why he's looking at it again. Or at least not anymore.

See, the problem is-

"Whatcha staring at with so much energy?"

Grudgingly, Ace's eyes flicker up to the man intruding upon his seclusion as he leans over one of the crates Ace hides behind. "Go away." (Doesn't the fact that he's _hiding between crates_ mean something about _don't want to be disturbed_ to this man?!)

Ignoring him, Thatch leans in closer. "Oh, hey, isn't that a vivre card? Wait – isn't it burning?!"

The paper of Luffy's life is indeed fraying around the edges again, all steady glow and quiet crackling of paper. The first time it happened, Ace had panicked about setting his brother's card on fire.

"Whose is it?" Thatch asks him, something in his voice that might be concern but that Ace resolutely doesn't hear. "You know that if the vivre card burns, the owner is in trouble, right?"

"It's my brother's."

Thatch blinks, mouth dropping open. "You've got a – okay, stupid question, why shouldn't you?" His face becomes serious. "You need our help to bail him out?"

...What? "What?!"

Leaning back, Thatch spreads his arms. "Hey, you're family. If family of our family is in trouble of course we're going to help."

Ace's traitorous heart grasps at - _no_ , he's not putting up with this -

"It's Straw Hat Luffy." He pronounces flatly, giving Thatch an unamused stare, and _will his chest stop feeling tight already!?_

Thatch blinks. Rapidly. Opening and closing his mouth a couple times, he trails off thoughtfully. "...that cheeky brat, huh?" He gives Ace a once over. "I think I see the resemblance."

...what?

Ace does a double take. "You _know_ him?"

Thatch rolls his shoulders, unaffected and unconcerned by Ace's revelation. "Not really, no." He shakes his head, shooting Ace a smile. "Though I should probably say I don't know him _yet_. At the rate he's going, he's going to come challenge Pops sooner rather than later. I know some of the guys want to recruit him."

A scoffing laugh bubbles out of Ace without permission. "No way. Not gonna happen. Luffy's going to be Pirate King. He's not going to join anyone. ...But you're probably right about him turning up soon. He always gets in trouble with all the worst people, then his freakish luck kicks in and it all works out fine anyway. Honestly, I'm surprised he's picking fights with Emperors one at the time."

Thatch pulls a face like something in his brain just broke. He makes a funny noise. "...Don't relax yet. According to Jimbei he pissed off Big Mom somehow. Besides, you know, the all out war he's in with Kaido."

... _of course_ he did.

Ace thinks he should probably feel something about that besides mild resignation and exasperation, but, well, he's known Luffy since Luffy was seven, and yeah, that's just Luffy. Ace thuds his head against the wall his back is leaning against.

"So Ace, you haven't answered my question." Voices Thatch after a moment.

"What?"

"You know, do you want us to go bail your brother out?"

Ace _chokes_. "... **What?!** "

Thatch looks at him meaningfully, warmly. "It doesn't matter if your brother is one of our Worst Generation juniors or a world noble, a marine or some hapless civilian in one of the Blues. Family is family, like I said."

Funny, Ace would have thought he'd notice if they'd sailed into a storm, but it's got to be a storm why else would the cabin be spinning. And what's that noise? It's like drums, it can't be his heartbeat.

Ace _ignores_ it. All of his considerable will power is needed for that. Looks away.

"...no. Luffy's vivre card starts burning all the time. It'll stop again soon."

(It always does.)

Coiling out of the pathetic huddle he made, he gets up and determinately walks to the door intent of putting some distance between himself and Thatch, and he's _definitely not fleeing_.

For all the good that is does, because the pompadoured man trails after him like a happy puppy, swings an arm around his shoulders and drags Ace onto the deck into the sun.

(See, the problem is, Ace isn't sure anymore that he wants to leave.)

* * *

"Oi, Luffy! Check this out! It's your brother!"

"Huh?"

"It says here he joined the Whitebeard Pirates!"

"Huh? Seriously? Ace joined...huh. That Whitebeard guy must really be something. I'm looking forward to meeting him."

"...Okay. That's fine and all, BUT DON'T YOU DARE PICK A FIGHT WITH FOR FUN HIM WHILE WE'RE STILL HAVING ANOTHER EMPEROR AFTER OUT HEADS!"

* * *

"Roger, huh? You aren't much like him at all."

His newest son remains silent, gaze not even able to meet his. "...you don't care that I didn't tell you? Before I joined, I mean. Do you, I mean...are you going to throw me out?" The words are spoken with resignation, fear and even challenge.

Roger's blood huh? Now that he looks, he might see it.

That's quite a pair of siblings Roger left behind. (How surprising.) And while Whitebeard doesn't even need to meet Straw Hat in person to know that he's the one to have inherited his rival's will, the boy in front of him seems to have been hit by the worst of the legacy (and is _tired_ from fighting it).

Not that Whitebeard cares, though. All that stuff doesn't concern him or his family.

"Why should I care where your blood is from? In the end we're all children of the sea."

(Something glows in his son's eyes. Just a spark gaining strength. But maybe, one day, it'll grow into a fire equal to the blinding young star that is his life.)

xXx

It just figures that this is the way his life ends.

Bleeding out on deck, a hole in his stomach, night-sky above, on the second ship of the most powerful man in the world, just as everything in his life seemed to be going right.

Cut down by one of his new crewmates. It just figures. Just because he was on night watch, did his duty and called out to the suspicious shadow.

Strangely, his fading mind drifts to what will happen after his death.

They'll discover his corpse with the shift change. They'll be shocked. They'll notice one of the lifeboats missing. Following a head-count, they'll identify the culprit.

Whitebeard's rage is legendary.

He's just a newbie, though, so Toby doubts Whitebeard'll care.

Ace though. Ace is going to be... _pissed_.

And Ace's fury is something to fear. Not only for the force behind it but because of how it swamps the kid's mind, takes him over, makes him unreasonable and reckless.

Toby does not envy the guy who'll have to cool that supernova down.

Worse will be the guilt, though. Ace is very bad with guilt. It was his decision that the Spades join the Whitebeards and he'll think it his fault that Toby's dead.

...what a way to leave this world.

...just….dragging…

...everyone….

….down…

xXx

"Ace wait! Come back!"

"Ace!"

"Ace calm down! Let's think it over!"

Ace can't wait.

His blood is boiling, raging, chafing under his skin, vision taken over by a scene out of a nightmare.

If he stops, waits, _hesitates,_ he'll drown in it and lose himself.

xXx

"...Are those the Straw Hats?"

Which is a stupid question, because _obviously_ it is them, but seeing them in decorated frames on the wall so regardless of their criminal status...is kind of unbalancing.

The king on the sick-bed who Ace is here to talk to looks appropriately caught aback by the question, quite like Ace himself, because that's _not_ what he'd wanted to ask.

"Indeed," breathes the strongly built man, the effort it take him visible. "Our country owes them a debt regarding the previous king. Are you familiar with them?"

Ace absently wonders if kingdoms are doomed to either hate or love Luffy, no in-between. This seems to be falling into the latter category and Ace has no doubt that if he claims to be Luffy's brother, he'll get all the answers he needs, but… "Something like that."

The king nods in understanding, bandages around his head, neck and entire body making even the slightest gestures appear like a trial. "But that's not what you came here for. These pirates that attacked us...you said you are here about them?"

Yeah, leaving out that he's a pirate himself once he got an idea how much the people of the Sakura Kingdom despise them.

Interestingly, his manners alone still got him an audience with the person, the king, who fought Teach personally. Ace assumes they think he's some sort of government official. "Yes. Is there anything you can tell me about them. Did they happen to mention their next destination perhaps? Their objective?"

* * *

"This is a bad idea," Tsuru points out bluntly. "The odds would be up there if it were Whitebeard alone. You don't need me to remind you of Straw Hat's record."

Please, anything but. Ever since that damn brat set sail, he's happily been wearing down Sengoku's resistance against soothing nurses and jackets that tie in the back. Frothing breakdowns actually sound tempting some days.

"Damn that Garp," he says instead, because like all headaches in his life, this can be laid at that moron's feet. Someone way back when should have forbidden Garp's ancestors from procreating.

Sure, then there would be no Hero of the Marines (ha! What a joke. Roger was dead anyway and for all his fame Garp _didn't_ actually succeed where others didn't – he just came closest), no structural damage in Marineford, no headache for Sengoku. There would be no Dragon (and, less significantly, no Revolutionary Army), no Straw Hat "I'm-gonna-be-Pirate-King" Monkey D Luffy.

Sengoku would be able to die happy.

Case in point, there would be no war looming on the horizon because without Garp there to be (stupidly, _irritatingly_ ) honorable there would be no Portgas D Ace.

Yes, he's aware that his thoughts are uncharitable and bordering on that line that he tires to never set a toe over, but.

Sengoku's _had it._

The first thing he did when the orders for the execution came down was fill out the retirement form (that had been steadily looking more tempting _for years_ ).

It won't get him out of this war, but everything after? Not his to deal with.

If there is going to be something _left_ to deal with.

Wearily, he pinches the bridge of his nose. "It was pointed out to me that menace or not, Straw Hat is just one more pirate, Worst Generation or not. No threat compared to Whitebeard, even when added to Whitebeard's forces they said." Sengoku recalls morosely, tiredly. "It's welcome, even, if he gets in on the fighting they said. Because then we'll have the chance to kill both of Roger's blood at once." The good soldiers that will be sacrificed to _start_ the war that will get them the _chance_ to kill them both hadn't even been a factor.

"You haven't told them about Garp yet, then," Tsuru observes unnecessarily. Distaste and reproach color her lined face.

"What good would it do?" Sengoku returns rhetorically, massaging his closed eyes. "We both know that that brat will bite, blood or no blood. Upstairs would be just as happy to kill Dragon's son as Roger's. More, even, if we can get both at once." Sengoku shakes his head. The symbolic power of both pirates' death would be indeed powerful – so much so in fact that Sengoku can't even think of a hypothetical better deterrent. It makes him _almost_ reconsider what a bad idea this is. However. "The truth on that front would only make this mess _worse_."

Tsuru purses her lips. "Did you tell Garp at least?"

"That we're declaring war to kill one of his grandsons and hope to draw in and also kill the second?" War is war, no tactic is too dirty, Sengoku better get that to the forefront of his mind again and draw on internal well of ruthlessness.

He still can't help but snort. "That fool knows the risks of their blood better than anyone – what it means that we got our hands on one of them he knows too."

Sighing, Tsuru reaches for tea. She eyes the papers strewn out between them with focus akin to that of a hawk. "Okay then, that headache aside," meaning Garp,"what will we do about the other? Any ideas?"

Monkey D Luffy's grin greets them from the cover of his (thick, _thick_ ) file. "None whatsoever." Sengoku concedes. To her he can say that. Were anyone else around…

His old friend's eyes narrow, but she agrees with all the unspoken things. Whitebeard they know, both personally (in a manner of speaking) and professionally (also in a manner of speaking). Point is, know thy enemy applies.

To Straw Hat…

...well, they can predict Garp, but only to a point. And that is despite decades of close working relationships.

...they can predict Straw Hat too, hence why they are so sure he'll be a part of this mess. _To a point._

The term _wild card_ has never had a more appropriate recipient.

If rumors are to be believed, they could know all of the tiniest details of the Straw Hats' plans (and Whitebeard's, and their own) and it wouldn't matter because the Straw Hats' _own captain_ couldn't follow a plan if his life depended on it.

Now that wouldn't be so bad if only any _other_ plan that had the misfortune of running into Straw Hat didn't suffer the same fate. Not a future to be aspiring to as proven by: Crocodile, CP9, the experienced tactics of Thriller Bark and Moria, Dressrosa.

Not his combat strength or the number of his allies (and both are no longer insignificant unfortunately) – that unpredictability is the true, awful danger of Straw Hat Luffy.

One that the higher ups, too far removed from the field, _fail_ to comprehend.

* * *

"Luffy! It's terrible-"

* * *

"Pops! They-"

* * *

" _-_ _set a date for Ace's execution!_ "

* * *

"Luffy-senpai! Did you see the papers? This is big! With Whitbeard distracted it's going to create even more chaos. This is our chance! What are-"

"Shut up!" Luffy shouts at the wailing Den Den Mushi. "Ace's my little brother!"

The snail freezes.

Nami chews her lips, looks at her crew gathered around the table in the galley. Zoro hasn't let go of his swords, Usopp shifts back and forth nervously, Sanji smokes with his gaze on the ceiling, Robin has books in front of her where there is even a mention of Marineford, Brook doesn't touch his tea, Chopper's eyes are big and watery while Franky lost his boisterous exuberance.

All of that is nothing compared to Luffy, of course, who hasn't smiled once since Nami read him the article.

Silence and stillness sticks to him like a cloud, and that's something Nami associates with burning government flags, beaten World Nobles and about-to-be defeated Shichibukai.

Anger stirs under Luffy's skin in a way that she's never seen for an extended amount of 's been going for hours now.

She recalls the freckled face, the bright grin, so alike and yet different from Luffy, recalls the vivre card she finds Luffy sometimes staring at for no reason, the bright smile with which he speaks about his brother.

"Lu-lu-lu-lu-ffy-senpai's little bro-bro-brother?! Luffy-senpai has a brother?" The snail exclaims, stunned and moved beyond words. It pauses for a moment as the speaker on the other end gathers their wits and moves on to being serious. "Will we be attacking Marineford then? Please tell us when and where, Senpai!"

That fight they picked with the World Government on Enies Lobby? It's about to come crushing down.

But they've got allies.

Luffy brightens up, the air becomes a bit lighter. For the moment."You're going to help? Thanks so much Barto-melon!"

"B-b-b-b-but of course, Luffy-senpai! It's an honor. Leave informing the other of your fleet to me, I will definitely -"

Nami sighs and takes the receiver from her captain. "Bartolomeo-kun? Thank you for your call, but we also just found out about it, so we don't have a plan yet. For now, we'd appreciate if you could head for Fishman Island. Since the battle is definitely going to take place in Paradise. We'll meet you there."

The snail straightens. "Understood, Nami-senpai! We're on our way right this moment!" The voice fades a bit off as the speaker directs his attention elsewhere. "Oi you lazy bastards, you heard – _K_ _a-cha._ "

Her eyes lift from the now sleeping snail to her captain and catch on the unhappy frown on his lips that has already made its reappearance.

"How's that for action, Luffy? We're gonna sail to Fishman Island now. We can think about what to do about Whitebeard and how to best save Ace on the way." Just discussing things hasn't gotten them far after all. Better do something. It will make Luffy less likely to explode as well.

* * *

"Pops, the information we got from the king says that Jimbei tried to protest the war and is now imprisoned in Impel Down."

"...So it was no use after all."

His son nods grimly. "Unfortunately. But King Neptune also wants to let you know that his scouts discovered the Straw Hats, and that they are directing them here now." Since the main harbor of Fishman Island is all but put on shut down by the Marines.

All parties know that that is a mere formality, though, and that it won't stop the fleet of the Whitebeard Pirates from passing through. Or from getting support from the local population. Like the bubble on the sea-floor serving as their improvised harbor away from prying eyes as the fleet gathers and plans are made.

Fishman Island owes its continuing peace and its people to _Whitebeard,_ not to the Marines or the government.

There is a reason there are so very few fishmen or merfolk in the navy corps, and it's not just because of mutual discrimination.

"So the brat has finally come," he muses aloud.

Marco, never far now, ticks an eyebrow up. "We expected as much. Not least because there's already a substantial amount of pirates flying his flag mingling with ours down here. How do you want to play this?"

Newgate swirls the sake around in his cup. "Let him come. It may be a different encounter than we expected, but it was always going to happen one day."

Marco nods, once. It's true. They've been aware of Straw Hat Luffy for as long as the rest of the world, but unlike the rest of the world, Whitebeard makes it his business to look at younglings and see their potential.

Straw Hat had been kept an eye on since his first bounty and accomplishment were mentioned by Jimbei with gratitude in regards to a problem with one of his old crew members.

The boy had been slanted for definite recruitment since Enies Lobby. Anyone going that far for a crewmate they want. Had Straw Hat chosen Whitebeard as his first target in the New World, it might even have happened.

Now though...one doesn't need to be omniscient to see that recruitment has no chance of happening anymore. That kid is aiming for the Top, will settle for nothing else or die trying.

(Whitebeard sees Roger in that grin, feels an akin presence on the horizon, the sea stirs into a chaos it hadn't been since before Roger became King.)

(Since he is also Ace's brother, they'd expected the day they met the Straw Hats in combat to be one that ended with a big party and lots of embarrassing childhood stories of Ace's (Thatch in particular had been teasing Ace with the possibility)).

* * *

"You're Whitebeard, huh."

"What about it, brat?"

Luffy pouts. "This is not how I wanted to meet you."

The old man regards him. "How would you have wanted to meet me?"

Luffy shrugs. "Say thank you for taking care of Ace, then fight you, 'cause if I'm not strongest I can't be Pirate King." Pause. "Thank you for taking care of Ace, old man. He must like you a lot if he's willing to sail under you."

"Gurararara! You're such a rude, upstart brat." The man grumbles into his drink, "reminds me of Roger's less tolerable traits." It's good sake according to Nami and Zoro, though why Luffy has to give the man some to talk to him is beyond Luffy.

"You knew the Pirate King, old man?" Luffy blinks twice.

...huh? Tilting his head, Luffy looks up at the giant man curiously. "Old man, do you _know_?"

"Know what?"

Luffy feels a wide grin split his face. "I see! Ace must _really_ like you if he told you. That's cool. Shishishi!"

Old man Whitebeard pauses. Looks at him, through him, and that look feels a bit like what Luffy imagines Shanks' attention to be like, now that Luffy isn't a kid anymore but a rival captain, but also a bit like what Torao looked at him like after he decided Luffy was strong but still trying to guess how strong.

"By the way, old man. If we're gonna plan something together, my navigator says I'm not allowed to be a part of it. She knows stuff like that better anyway, so just talk to her about it. Plans are boring and annoying, so I like the idea."

xXx

"You got time and location, Luffy?"

"Yeah. Marine Headquarters, like you thought. And the old man said that if we want to come, we should stick to his fleet, 'cause he's probably going to do something to the sea everywhere else. But you can talk to him yourself." Their captain pulls a face. "I still don't get why we can't attack the prison. Ace is there, isn't he?"

"We don't know that for sure, Luffy."

"But I've got his vivre card."

"Yeah, but that only points in the right direction. Besides, if we try to break him out of Impel Down, they can kill him rather than let us get close. There's nothing stopping them."

"But it's the same at Marineford! That's where they want to _execute_ him."

" _Yes,_ Luffy," repeats Nami, bordering on impatience. "But because of the _fucking spectacle_ they decided to make of it with _live broadcasts_ they can't just kill him when we arrive. They'd _lose face._ And _their precious face_ is what what executing Ace is all about." Her tone softens. "We'll save him, Luffy. But we got to do it at Marineford."

Luffy's face is expressionless.

Watching, Usopp's limbs twitch with nervous energy. But Luffy nods. Short and tense.

"Oi, Zoro," Usopp speaks in a quiet voice to not accidentally catch Luffy's attention. The situation is nerve-wrecking enough without it, thanks. He takes their swordsman by the arm. "Come with me. We got to tell Luffy's followers that the Straw Hat Grand Fleet is officially allied with the Whitebeards for this. I don't want to know that those guys come up with if we leave them to their own devices."

* * *

The world holds it's breath as the prisoner that will spark a war is led onto the execution grounds: member of the Whitebeard Pirates' second division, super-rookie, eighteen years old Portgas D Ace.

Win or lose, the world will change forever.

The spectators on the Shabaody Archipelago have their sights arrested by the scene decapitated on the screen, stuttering breaths and swear words replying to the stunning, _invincible_ amount of troops gathered at the Center of Justice.

Yet Sengoku's face as he steps onto the platform is grim. A Den Den Mushi carrying his words, he speaks, "People of the world, I have an announcement to make. There is a great significance in the death of Portgas D Ace this day..."

* * *

"THE PIRATE KING?!"

* * *

TBC


	4. eye of the typhoon

reflections on broken waves

* * *

eye of the typhoon

* * *

"We have sight on over sixty pirate ships!"

"Confirmed are the Beauty Pirates, the Knight Pirates, the Thunder Pirates, the New Giant Pirates, the Ice Pirates, the Barto Club, the Maelstrom Pirates alongside other New World pirates captains allied to Whitebeard or Straw Hat! Without a doubt, they have allied for this conflict!"

As expected. What isn't expected is how they have all appeared out of nothing and that the ships of the Whitebeard Pirates themselves aren't confirmed yet.

(The Straw Hats' neither, but their main force is, so one chip off his shoulders.)

The middle of the bay bubbles.

... _shit_.

Four ships, including the _Moby Dick_ , surface, coating dissolving in fresh air. Whitebeard's presence sweeps over the battlegrounds and not for the first time Sengoku wishes that their headquarters were set on a bigger island where they would have been able to gather more soldiers.

There is no such thing as overkill here.

"My beloved son," grins Whitebeard without any amusement, "had better be alright, Sengoku."

As if he doesn't know better. Impel Down doesn't discriminate between prisoners, not even if they aren't old enough to drink.

* * *

The Straw Hat's ship bubbles up, colorful and tiny. Overshadowed by the ship it draws up to, unknown in comparison, the _Jolly Roger_ is unmistakable, never gone from the front pages for long.

Islands away, the observers, scribes of history, reporters and civilians feel shock widen their eyes. What are the Straw Hats doing there?

What has dragged the greatest troublemaker of the New World to Marineford?

What stakes has the flag bearer of the next generation in this war?

Fleet Admiral Sengoku reaches again for the device that lets his words be carried around the world. What else does he have to say, after his last that terrible revelation?

"I know many of your are confused. What exactly is Straw Hat Luffy's involvement?" Silence rings, not only over the archipelago but also at Marineford. The Buddha speaks with a voice of determination and justice.

"For once, it is not the promise of destruction and chaos that drew him here. Warriors of Justice! In this war it is not the death of Ace alone that will grant us victory. Just as Ace's life is not one that was meant to exist, so too must another life end today!" A stillness like that before a storm is granted to the world before Sengoku speaks the damning words. "That of his _brother_!"

Fire Fist gapes in what appears to be bewildered horror at the Fleet Admiral. The criminal's voice is caught and transmitted, viewers and listeners alike flinch as though expecting the voice itself to carry corrupting power. All the more bravery to the Fleet Admiral, daring to stand next to the demon. "What are you -? Luffy's got nothing to do with this!"

-What?!

Did he just say -?

Is that to mean what they think it means.

The people witnessing observe the giant screen with trembling bodies.

...Luffy? As is Straw Hat Luffy?

...that pirate... too...?

The people of the world feel terror rise because of this horror story that they had not known existed.

"He has _everything_ to do with it," the Fleet Admiral, the man with the most military might in the world replies to the pirate cuttingly. "So long as the blood of the world's worst criminals doesn't run thin you both must die!"

How is the world still standing with two of such demons?

They must kill them!

Kill them both or they'll all be destroyed!

 **KILL THEM!**

* * *

The transceiver lies heavily in his palm. Grimly, Sengoku returns it to its holder.

It's done.

There is a script he has to follow, only in part written by his hand, and the part that is he made sure to arrange to his advantage.

 _You can't lie to the world, S_ _en_ _goku, not when people who know the truth are out there,_ Tsuru had warned him. He agrees with her with an addendum: he can't lie to the world when they've already tried and failed to kill those who know the truth.

A murmur sweeps through the crowd. Faces that had paled at the first mention of Gold Roger's blood and recovered color since are ghastly again.

"Luffy isn't that guy's son!" Portgas rages, Roger's fire igniting in his eyes for the first time that Sengoku sees. Even as he kneels. Despite his fate. So unlike the resignation he greeted his own sentence with. And _that_ is why he has to die. "There's no way you don't know that! Get the damn story straight!"

Portgas can protest as much as he wants. But his words no longer reach any ears that don't already know the truth.

It's not the Revolutionaries that are a threat right now. And it's much easier to hate the enemy before your eyes (pirates). Any chance to tilt the odds is a good choice.

"This is war, boy. For today Monkey D Luffy will be Gold Roger's. Fates be with us, he dies as it."

The boy _snarls._ Jerks his chains.

Blood does _always_ tell.

They do not start a war for just _any_ 'dangerous factor'. Roger's blood is thickest. They _can't_ allow it. (As sorry as Sengoku was a month ago, before he had prepared himself for war, that is the truth.)

(Garp, the coward, hides because he can't face that truth.)

Speaking of blood, where is that menace? Sengoku has been searching for him, but he can't find Straw Hat on his ship, on the Whitebeards' ship or anywhere else.

...that's...not good.

* * *

"Nami~ Are we there yet?"

"I'm not telling you. A leash wouldn't be enough to keep you here if I did."

Pout. It's eerie, the same interactions, seeing the same careless expressions – only all with sharp darkness lurking behind his eyes. "Gimme back Ace's vivre card~."

"No."

* * *

Apis swallows harshly. Her hands resting on the railing tremble with the ship, with the ocean, with the world as Pops' wave breaks over their heads.

What is she doing here?

When she set out to sea with Matabi, it was to help a friend. When she decided on piracy it was to grab a chance.

Now she stands on the deck of the most famous ship in the world, at the epicenter of the era. The suddenly frozen sea around them blows cold wind in her face. She's only sixteen and volunteered for war.

Because.

 _Because_.

She feels sick just thinking about a world where Ace dies and she didn't do her best to save him. She feels sick thinking about a world Ace isn't in.

"Apis-chan, you ready?" Asks one of her (comparatively) new crewmates, a man at least three times her age and veteran at piracy. He'll be watching out for her, he isn't to leave her side.

Swallowing, she retreats from the railing. Ace is hardly recognizable, he's so far away and they are separated by countless enemies. If she has to fight, there's no chance to survive for her. "I'm fine," she says, her voice not at all steady.

One last glance at the man she calls her captain now, so tall his shadow seems to swallow all the white, she pleads with whatever god willing to listen and disappears under deck.

Everyone sees her as a child, her crew doesn't want her here, but her ability is too useful for them to protest much.

Her legs feel weak as they carry her to the room especially prepared for this.

 _Apis_ , Matabi greets her, concerned. _Ace?_ Rising from her nest, animals stir at the disturbance.

"He's alive." Kneeling, she lets mice and rats and spiders crawl up her arms, and she does her best to give them all the attention they deserve. They're about to walk into danger, risk their lives just because Apis can speak to them. "Please, everyone. Be careful." She opens a porthole for them to scurry out of and join the humans on the ice below.

An explosion near them shoot ice shards into the air and one catches her in the cheek. Her breath trembles. "Please search for the key to Ace's handcuffs. If you overhear something else about him, please tell me."

The multitude of animals especially gathered for this task chirp their replies and disappear.

She settles down to wait, curled into Matabi's feathers and mind open, listening.

Not fighting, _this_ is her role.

* * *

Chopper's ears twitch. "I hear canon fire. They've started."

Nami sucks in a deep breath, confirms their position with the burning paper, and hands it back to Luffy. "Straight down, Luffy."

"Okay. I'm going ahead, Nami, Chopper."

And he's gone, the howling wind leaving them alone on Nami's Weatharia vehicle.

* * *

Leo stands at the front of the brave warriors of the Tontatta Tribe. Their great heroes asked for their help, and Leo is only proud to be here.

To be truthful, he doesn't really get what this fight is all about, only that it is as important to Luffyland as the SOP operation was to them. They're glad to help out, really.

It's kind of confusing, though. The marines are supposed to be the good guys and yet they're the enemy.

But, Leo muses, that everyone can be wrong once in a while. Usoland after all thought he wasn't a hero at first, and that he had to lie about it.

Maybe if they can talk to them, the Marines will know better?

After all a brother of their great savior can't be a bad person. The Marines just have to be made aware of their misunderstanding.

"Okay, everyone. Lets take cookies and crackers and lets invite them for tea to tell them about our great heroes!"

"YEAH!"

"DON'T!" Shouts Usoland, who's pretending to be afraid again since he's hiding with them in the galley and looks out only through a slit in the door.

* * *

Sengoku would have assumed Straw Hat to be front and center the moment the first shot fell.

He isn't.

It's been five minutes already and he still isn't to be seen anywhere.

Where is that boy? The game can't start until all pieces are in play.

The Thousand Sunny's unusual appearance also makes him worry. Damn if those metal contraptions don't look like specialized equipment.

For the time being however he has other worries. Three thirds of his admirals prove spectacularly ineffective. Vibrations can't be frozen. The Phoenix doesn't care about light. It's not the first time he's ever seen Akainu's attacks stopped, but it's the first time they are kicked back into their own troops like overgrown soccer balls.

This sort of battle doesn't have enough space for one man armies, so he can't use his admirals to their full potential, and that _hurts._

"Their vessels are frozen. Concentrate all fire on the bay. Don't let them charge without paying the price!"

Portgas trembles, flinches with every scream reaching them.

Sengoku eyes the watch. Seven minutes and counting. A bit more and the trap can -

That's when he has to clean his ears, because he hears something. Where is it -

No.

No way.

Sengoku refuses.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAA~!"

 _Thud!_

A cloud of dust rises from the sea of white in the right-hand side of the bay's crescent, far before the current front lines.

His loyal soldiers form a circle around the small crater and no. No. Sengoku is definitely not seeing someone pull their head out of the stone work, because if he does, then -

He can't even think it.

Straw Hat can't have dropped straight down from the sky.

"Luffy," moans Garp in despair.

Because if he did, where did he come from?

More importantly, who _else_ can come from there?

As much as he would like to blame his soldiers, Sengoku can't resent them their momentary lack of reaction.

Straw Hat succeeds in pulling his head out of the stone, places that thrice damned hat on his head, looks around.

He zeroes in on the execution platform remarkably quickly for someone surrounded, outnumbered, evading swords, on hostile and unknown grounds and within risk of his life by the slightest lapse in attention.

"Ace!" He waves, waving his arms grandly. "Ace! I'm here to save you!" He blinks, and Sengoku can all but read the thoughts on his face, he's that easy to read. _Huh. Still far away. And here I thought I aimed pretty well. Wind maybe? Anyway. Give Ace back, stupid marines!_

And he charges. Without backup. Cut off from allies.

Under any other circumstances it would be embarrassing that they can't catch such an idiot.

 _Garp, I'm going to kill you one day_ , Sengoku thinks, hard.

* * *

Of all the things he was forced to think about recently, Marco never once questioned that it would be war.

Like he said to Ace, the whole world knows what happens when someone lays a hand on one of theirs.

It's horrible, though. Marco never once doubted that it would be. He's been in large scale conflicts, of course he has, but never once on this scale. One that will be no longer than a few hours.

The rate people (their people, he doesn't care about the lives of the other side, they had it coming) are dying at is frightening. The tactics of the marines to trap and then slaughter them is not the full success they want it to be, naturally, but they still die. Still have to walk over the corpses of their comrades.

Their alliance with Straw Hat really shows its worth in this. Marco notes this one guy in particular with a convenient ability that guards an entire flank from bombardment.

Another thing is _damn, does that boy sow chaos._

Of course Marco had known this before, Straw Hat's whole career is marked by it, but seeing it in person is entirely different from reading about it in newspapers and it makes all too much sense why the boy even had to be separated from the majority of his crew to not screw them all over on accident.

Thrown at the enemy in a form of tactical application suggested by the Straw Hats' navigator however it is a weapon of the likes Marco had never seen before. Stupid and suicidal, can't last long, but effective.

The marines have to split their attentions (further). Straw Hat behind their lines and further charging has them nervous, distracted, because he is not exactly quiet, because he's _behind their lines_. The rest of his crew does have a sense of strategy however, because they don't charge in blindly.

With so many powerful people still gathered around Ace, single charges don't bring anything. It just weakens their own forces. There's no time to take them out one by one either, unfortunately.

(Marco estimates they'd have a good chance with that.)

Oars falls, felled by one of the four present Shichibukai even before one of the Admirals has to move. Marco lets the anger boil and turns into knot of force-

A crackle of haki sweeps through the air.

Somehow Straw Hat made it in the blink of an eye right up to the scaffold (using Oars's body as a shooting ramp?). A good hundred meters of the ground, he is in a lock with Kizaru.

He gets knocked down, crashing hard into the plaza. But even before the dust has settled, he's charging again. Bellowing at the top of his lungs, his fist smashes into the first high ranking soldier trying to engage him, sends the man _flying_ and he's aiming for the scaffold again without a split second of hesitation. Regardless of three Admirals in front of him, of Garp, _and_ of Sengoku.

Fucking hell.

It dawns on Marco as Straw Hat shoulder-throws one admiral at the other two then _proceeds to ignore them_ in favor of reaching out the platform again (and is prevented again) that it's less of a tactic to throw Straw Hat in there and more of a surrender on part of his crew. They can't stop him. They _can't_ even _slow that down._

If Straw Hat had fought as part of the main force, with that pace, dragged them all into it...they would have had momentum, yes. A spear in force, sure. They might have reached Ace.

But they wouldn't have had the plaza cleared, had the time or force to take the scaffold before they are surrounded. Reaching Ace means nothing if they can't free him. They can't do that without the key to his cuffs or the time to untie his chains from there.

They would have reached Ace, and that would have been it.

Marco whistles lowly under his breath and eyes Pops.

"Did you know about this?"

Pops just grins.

* * *

Ace's throat is choked up, his eyes burn.

"GIVE ACE BACK!"

This is his mistake. He never, ever wanted other people to pay for his screw ups.

* * *

"Oi, Franky! Aren't you done yet? When those three Admirals get their asses in gear, Luffy will be in trouble!"

"Just a – okay! The Sunny is SUPER ready! No ice can keep her!"

"Finally," mutters Zoro. Finishing his current opponent off, he gathers the Den Den Mushi from his shoulder and stuffs it into his robes. One look up ahead reveals flashes behind the wall that is cutting them off from the plaza, so without a doubt Luffy and that phoenix guy are still going strong. But his swords itch. Mihawk is somewhere up there, a threat to Luffy, an enemy to meet in battle.

(This is not the place of their duel, no. Too much interference. But if Hawkeye moves, Zoro must be there.)

Behind him ice cracks and creaks, metal grinds. The Thousand Sunny is not a pirate ship built to be on the side lines.

* * *

The battle spills into the plaza in full. Stones set to endure a military monopole of power, the unsullied ground peace keepers have stepped on for centuries is about to be drenched in blood, lives soaking the loved home of justice in tragedy.

At the point of the invading forces: the Whitebeard Pirates and their allied forces. All in all around fifteen thousand pirates gathered.

The back of the defending army: Sengoku the Buddah, the three great military forces of the marines, Garp the Hero. Twenty thousand soldiers were called to duty.

The earth of Marineford shakes and breaks under the powers of the strongest man in the world.

The world has long since been cut off and expects its fate blindly with held breath.

* * *

"What the hell are you guys doing?! If you are still conscious, fight! And what's with the tea?!"

The soldiers wiggle on the ground, unable to lift so much as their head, not a bruise in sight. "We can't move!"

"What the – are those _stitches_?!"

"There were these – these small people! Then before we knew it, we were like this!"

"Little people?!"

"YES! They asked about the key to Fire Fist's handcuffs!"

* * *

"Leo, do you really think its fine to just leave those people there?"

"It can't be helped. It's a shame they didn't want to talk with us. But we needed them to get out of the way."

"...hopefully no one will step on them."

* * *

Blood boiling under his skin, Luffy snarls into Aokiji's face and drives a fist against the man's ice blade. Annoyingly, it doesn't break, but the force behind his punch pushes the other back. Its not enough.

It's different since that first fight against the admiral that he lost so badly.

Luffy understands now what he's up against (- _doesn't care_ _ **one bit;**_ _Ace is behind that man_ ), has ways to fight logia, knows even a bit how Aokiji fights thanks to Dressrosa.

But Aokiji still stands in his way, Luffy isn't strong enough to force him out of it.

That doesn't matter.

What matters is that Ace is up there, waiting.

His head always feels clearer when fighting, shapes crystal clear before his eyes. Heart pumps blood to roar in his ears, pressure grinding against his bones.

Luffy generally likes Aokiji.

But Ace is waiting.

Ace is _right there_.

Fight.

 _Fight._

Harder.

 _Stronger._

Aokiji keeps getting in his way -

\- Luffy stops caring that he usually thinks Aokiji is an alright guy.

* * *

A survey of the battle field reveals Akainu stuck on Whitebeard, Kizaru not getting far whenever he decides on bigger attacks thanks to the phoenix guy, Garp the Fist still up there on the platform, Sengoku staring down from next to Ace as though he could glare them all to death.

Blowing out smoke, Sanji notices how Luffy's patience is running out, fast.

Should they give it a try?

Ah, what the fuck, why the hell not?

("OI, LUFFY! GET UP HERE!" He holds his leg extended, familiar with the motion as rubber hands close, and, though its not exactly his fortitude, he snipes. Using his captain as projectile.)

* * *

A cheer waves through the sound of battle, rough shouts and canon fire momentarily displaced.

It doesn't last long. Straw Hat Luffy might have set food on the platform, but Sengoku the Budda ensures that it is only for a moment.

Straw Hat's landing creates a crater yet again.

It was the third time now that they have come close. Too close.

* * *

"Execute Fire Fist!"

 _fuuuuuuuuu- Wham!_

"Someone do something about THAT DAMN SNIPER!"

From the Sunny's crow nest, Usopp aims and shoots at targets down in plaza, always keeping an eye on yet again replaced executioners taking their predecessors place. How many have they gone through by now?

The ship shakes and rattles as the Sunny's wheels skid over rough underground from a sharp turn-and-dodge.

Sniping from wheels is not too different to sniping from waves. The same probably can't be said for Chopper's make-shift infirmary on the deck.

* * *

"Hmmm. That scaffold is a bit high. The Usolanders and friends can't reach it well."

The Tontatta tribe warriors look at each other, undisturbed and unseen. (The Big Humans are too busy to look at their feet.) Determinedly they nod with wordless understanding. They're faeries – they can just take things; King Riku I said so.

(Unknowingly, their good intentions and naive optimism is about to screw a lot of plans sidewards. Again.)

* * *

"STRAW HAT!"

The boy doesn't even flick his head at him, and when Smoker finally forces his attention to shift, it's not a smile that he is greeted with. In fact, he hardly recognizes the boy he has been chasing since Loguetown.

Blood is dripping down from his temple, splattered over his face (not his), scrapes and dirt and ash accumulating on his sweaty skin. The hands that catch Smoker's jutte before it can be pointed properly are split on the knuckles.

The worst though, is the eyes.

For all that he hunts Straw Hat without pause, never once has the boy looked at him as though he is the enemy.

He does now.

(And Smoker suddenly _gets_ why fearful murmurs of _monster_ have been following this kid for _years_.)

(It doesn't faze him, though. Smoker didn't turn his life into one of the chase of Straw Hat to be _afraid_ of his prey.)

(But he does understand now why some are.)

And he remembers that this, here, is actually the very first time they truly fight for all that Smoker has been on this trail for years.

In Lougetown, at the starting line, Straw Hat hadn't even had the chance to realize what a threat Smoker posed to him before he was face down.

Vice Admiral though he is, now that his adversary can utilize haki, the boy-man's raw combat abilities _flipped_ the tables.

An unpleasant surprise that is only furthered by the fact that Straw Hat doesn't even bother to acknowledge him, maybe doesn't even _recognize_ him – those eyes; they are angry, fierce, black holes of force, and only see obstacles, enemies, in-the-way, and his brother.

(The eyes of a beast.)

But Smoker knows Straw Hat, better than he wants, and the pirate is straight forward. To get the jutte in just the right position -

A sharp impact to his face sends him reeling back, breaks his chase. The time he needs to clear the pain from his head has Straw Hat disappearing and the Amazon Empress staring down at him with a cold, cold gaze.

* * *

"Oi, Garp." Speaks Sengoku suddenly, sharply.

Ace can't drag his attention away from the fighting, though. The fighting for _him_. Why would they do that? How can they care that much? He's...just Ace.

Or, at least he can't until the Fleet Admiral's words of "tell me that I'm only imagining that the platform is rumbling" stick in his ears. And even then it's more the tone than the words that catch his attention.

But he's right, now that Ace pays attention. Its more than just the vibrations of canon fire and other impacts that scratch against his knees.

On this battlefield it wouldn't be all that unusual considering that Pops is around, but Pops hasn't used his powers again - they aren't subtle.

The platform feels strangely unstable under him all of a sudden. Ace would be concerned that its another dirty trap of the marines, but the fact that Sengoku doesn't know shit speaks against it.

Jerking at his chains however gives nothing, meaning that whatever it is, Ace's situation hasn't changed a bit and he _can only watch_ as his _friends and family and people he never even heard of_ throw themselves onto knives to save him.

It is then that the scaffold literally _falls apart at the seams._

Right from under him.

The pieces of metal grate against each other, creating a horrible deafening screeching. Wooden planks fall out of their places, iron beams separate through kinetic force of other suddenly failing supports.

The cuffs jerk him backwards, motion control stolen and leaving him vulnerable to the pieces of the scaffold he is falling with.

Swearing, he curls up instinctively and finds to his shock _that he can_.

The restrains tying his cuffs to the scaffold must have fallen apart too.

But before he can take advantage of it, an iron grip closes around his arm and jerks him under the blue sky.

Ace doesn't particularly care to check who his savior is.

For the first time since this horror show began he's got free range of motion (comparatively). Shooting out his legs, he buries them in the face attached to he hand on his arm.

Rewarded by a grunt, Ace recognizes the voice with a sinking feeling in his stomach. The hand on his arm unfortunately hasn't let go either.

No sooner than there is solid ground under their feet again does Ace get a fist to the head. "DON'T KICK YOUR GRANDPA IN THE FACE!"

"SHUT UP! GET A CLUE OF THE SITUATION!" Ace roars back. He tries to shake the hold on him off, but say what you want. Garp doesn't go easy.

Again, Ace doesn't particularly care. His grip on it might be fleeting, but sea stone does jack to stop haki, so he headbutts his damn grandpa as hard as he can.

The bars on his upper arm slip. Ace does a follow up and lays his grandpa out flat by kicking his legs out from under him, then starts running.

Only when roars of cheers and dismay go up does Ace realize the battlefield had been strangely quiet, and only then does he become aware of every eye focused on him.

And of there being _no place to run_ to. He has to dodge a sword cutting for his neck within seconds and has to use the owner as a shield against the next attack, because, crap, he's swamped, he can't dodge it -

 _Chill._

And.

 _Reality._

 **Fractures.**

In the pieces that reform a second later, the last man that had been trying to gut him is on the ground, foaming at the mouth.

* * *

Whoever made the platform crumble is a fucking idiot. Up there Ace at least was safe from random murder attempts.

He's fair game now, and it almost cost them his life.

If Pops hadn't-

The close save doesn't stop Ace of course. He wouldn't be Ace if he slowed down, ever. And while Ace fighting tooth and nail would normally be a welcome sight, it's not when he's still handcuffed, handicapped, weakened by sea stone (and weeks of torture), and so surrounded and out-gunned that a Buster Call on a single person looks fair in comparison. And that is without counting the guns and snipers aimed at him - their own shooting squad and snipers that had taken position on the bay walls have their hands more than full sniping those snipers.

Frankly, Ace doesn't stand a chance there, even with Garp deciding to let himself be put out of battle.

Marco has been trying to fly to him, but now its Kizaru getting in his was instead of the other way around.

And while that means the Admiral can't go for Ace, it still leaves way too many other people willing to go for the kid.

From the corner of his eyes, Marco keeps an eye on him….and _what_ is that?

For a moment it looked at though the ground was moving behind Ace, but then it swept up and split and now its moving so fast its hard to keep track of the parts as they... _steal_ guns and knives, ammunition and _pants_?!

...are those dwarfs?

…... _why_ are they wearing red capes, sunglasses and fake beards?

"Oh~. What are those~? They're a bit annoying." Kizaru drawls, rising his hand to shoot. Marco kicks out and has Kizaru re-prioritize where to spend his energy.

"Then, how about you just leave them to be someone else's problem." Marco's lips pull back. "It's not like you have the attention to spare."

And it's on. _Again._

Marco sure hopes someone has an idea of what to do about the situation on the ground, cause he sure doesn't have the time.

* * *

Dwarfs. _Of course_ there _have_ to be dwarfs.

Sengoku doesn't know why he's surprised. That the little people are dressed in what can only be an extremely bad disguise tells the Fleet Admiral all he needs to know about them. Namely, that they're trying to avoid official pirate association, that they are attached to Straw Hat, and that they're from Dressrosa, the Kingdom that owes Straw Hat as much as Fishman Island does Whitbeard.

(On that note, they should probably be cautious of overeager, stray merfolk laying in ambush in the water.)

Which explains what happened to their scaffold just as well as the mountain of screws Sengoku is standing next to.

Damn pirates.

"Don't let Fire Fist escape! Kill him now!" Sengoku shouts, all the while knowing that if it were so easy, he'd already be dead. Ds are notoriously difficult to kill in general and this generation in particular, damn them.

But the dwarfs and Portgas are overwhelmed.

(Pressed down to the ground, feet and handcuffs both used to block a sword. Escaping the death blow by another sword with a cut into his arm. And that death struggle - sheer raw combat power won't be enough to get him out of. Only the best Marines are here.)

(Whitebeard? Advancing, unstoppable, but not quickly, not quickly enough. Marco? Kizaru. Jozu? Leading the charge. Vista and other commanders and busy with Kuma, the only one of the Shichibukai actually being useful. Straw Hat? A quartet of Vice Admirals. The Straw Hats' ship? Behind the front, mobile infirmary and sniper grounds. Roronoa? Playing with Hawk-Eyes. Black Leg? Defending the ship.)

(A bullet that the dwarfs didn't steal nicking his temple – Fire Fist whirls, spinning on his heel, ducking under a slash that would have taken his head, disturbing balance, shoving at the next, using the resulting tumble as a spring board- the pirates are still thousands of marines away, are being _kept_ away in determined push -)

Fire Fist's trademark lights the plaza around him red, darker than it would be were it flames. The dwarfs' high screams reach even Sengoku as lava boils. Fire Fist is caught in the path -

-yanked out of the way as though by invisible threads. Landing in a pile of dwarfs -

Getting that _time_ to kill the difficult to kill -

Flash of red and blue. "AAAACCCCCEEEEE!" Followed by a dust billowing landing.

(-but physical distance doesn't matter to snipers.)

No.

Bright, unclouded laughter tells him that yes, it is. Before Straw Hat, Sengoku would have been hard pressed to find practical applications for the Gomu Gomu Fruit.

Straw Hat keeps pointing them out. Becoming a projectile at the drop of the head is only one of many. Someone failed to prevent exactly this, even though Sengoku had given orders to keep them away.

It's a good thing, Sengoku supposes, that Akainu is there. He wants to kill them both anyway.

* * *

Admiral Akainu.

Ace heard of him, of course he has. Same way he's heard of Kizaru and Aokiji. Admirals: run or bet your life on the fight.

But it's _his_ life he's supposed to bet.

A shout and a flash of yellow. A shout of a familiar voice.

A powerful impact against his shoulder, kinetic force pushing him to skid across the rough stone under sky that is not seemingly set alight.

Someone else - a _familiar_ someone - unable to evade the lava.

Ace sees it in slow motion, feels horror widen his eyes. Luffy tries to bring his arms up to guard, but he used them to ensure that Ace is _gone_. Doesn't make it in time.

The attack hits him in the chest.

Steam and smoke of burning rubber explodes out of the contact, mixed with flames.

Luffy's body slacks as the fist withdraws.

His beloved brother's eyes are white as he slumps, falling on the hard, unforgiving stone with a sickening thud.

No.

Dead silence, or it might just be him. Ace can't move his body, doesn't want to move his eyes. Color has fled, the world washed gray.

 **No.**

Something in his mind -

It's like watching a damaged recording.

From one second to the other, the scene skips, repeats, skips, blackness in between.

One second, Luffy is dead, Akainu standing over him.

The next, Akainu is half way towards him, fist pulled back to do the same to Ace.

The next-

\- Luffy's hand is clammed-

\- on the admiral's ankle.

The admiral halts, follows the limb with his death-seeking eyes.

The admiral's weight shifts in a way indicating that he is intending to turn.

Towards Luffy.

\- in his mind snaps.

Ace screams.

Attacks the Admiral.

Anything to keep him _away_ from Luffy.

\- Chains around his wrist. Connected. Draining. But a _weapon_.

Get in close - stupid, suicidal, reckless, later: unexpected - duck under the guard, evade the fist. (Failed - **Burnes**!) Devil fruit. Sea Stone.

Ace swings the chains into the admiral's head. Lava splatters. **Burns!** _Don't let up!_ Wrap chain around neck while chance.

Pull.

The unbearable heat (pulling his skin, searing his eyes, smell of burned hair - and rubber. Rubber. _Rubber-_ ) Ace hadn't noticed until then, disappears.

Sea Stone.

Ace _isn't done_.

Uses leverage of chains to swing on back, kick, shove, unbalance until face meets dirt. Don't let up.

Pull back, shove head back into stone. Pull back. Repeat. Harder. _Harder_! How dare he -

Some grasps him by the neck, swings him over, and broken edges of splintered stones bite into his back.

Akainu's face above him. Twisted in rage. Bloody. _Good._

Ace snarls and kicks, punches, gets lifted like he weights a feather before slammed down, stone rushing to meet his face.

Black.

Scene skipped again.

Luffy is _alive_. _Getting up_. Stretched hand black, and closed around the Admiral's arm that is pulled back again and aimed in Ace's direction.

The dwarfs around him. Ace forgot them. They are crowding close and Ace, with his head still on the ground, for the first time gets a good look at them.

They are dressed strange. Carrying lances, trembling in fright. But standing their ground.

Protecting him. What about Luffy?

Ace can't look at it, can't look away. His big brother's chest is a bloody mess, bodily fluids leaking down his front like from a broken barrel.

He manages to climb to his feet, straw hat absent somewhere, furious and pitch black eyes. Under the force of his glare, the air trembles with mounting pressure. "Lea-ve….my...brother – ALONE!"

 _Time._

Stops.

 _Moving._

And.

 **Breaks.**

Akainu sways. Lava makes the ground hiss as it drips like ice in the sun. For a moment it seems as though Luffy's haki overwhelmed him, but then his stance hardens. Steadies.

Luffy's (rapidly paling) face tightens.

"..Lu...ffy..." Ace's lips barley manage to from the syllables, dry and cracked. His body is heaving with harsh breath, throat burning. Attempts at lifting his upper body from the ground only have his arms give out from under him like wet noodles. Pain flares through his body, making him for the first time aware of the burned, bloody mess stretching from his upper arm over his shoulder. "No...Luffy..."

Even though he's defenseless (aside from the dwarfs) on the ground, none of the other soldiers make a move towards him.

Their caution-near-fear follows their own admiral as he shakes off Luffy's too weak grip, growling, expression twisted into something less-than-sane. "Dragon's son. You don't know when to stop. DIE ALREADY!"He lungs at Luffy's trembling barely-upright-bleeding-out form.

" **STOP!** "

* * *

What the fuck.

That was the third time today.

Whitebeard of course. Luffy obviously. But the kid brother too. What the hell.

And, Snaji will admit, he's only distracting himself from the situation.

Even with all his might, the kick only managed to redirect what was intended to be his captain's death blow, and Sanji doubts he'll be able to use that leg again today.

Luffy, by all means should be unconscious and possibly dead with a gaping wound like that in his chest, but knowing him as Sanji does, Luffy won't collapse before his little brother is free of this guy. Even if it kills him. Even if he exhausts himself beyond recovery.

That's him, though, and his crew _knows_ that. That's why _they're there_. To make sure he doesn't kill himself running towards his goal.

Looks like they _failed_ today.

Sanji lived through hell to return to Luffy's side. Without Luffy there is no sense is sailing. Maybe even in living. Luffy is -

(Never again they swore back then. _Forever_ and _everything_ grew in him and Sanji can't – he just _can't_ imagine Luffy dying without having died before him. Getting him hurt like that -)

 _H_ _e_ failed.

They _all_ _ **failed**_ _._

"Disappear you _shitty_ **bastard**!" Sanji snarls, ramming his second leg without hesitation into the magma body. The shitty admiral hardly budges.

Sanji grits his teeth, and _keeps pushing_.

"San..ji.." comes a grating, slow demand from somewhere behind his shoulder.

And.

Sanji gets it.

Luffy's nakama will forever always come before him. How much higher than himself Luffy prioritizes his little brother, looking at this fucking mess, Sanji doesn't want to know.

But Captain's Orders.

 _Take Ace away from here,_ Luffy wants. _Get him safe._

In this situation, that's the same as abandoning his captain to die. Luffy is all but dead on his feet, literally – not even he can fight to _protect himself_ like this.

Luffy is asking him to pick his brother over him.

That's not a choice Sanji can make. As a pirate, as a friend, as _Sanji_ to _Luffy_.

However it's _Luffy_ who's asking and - _where the fuck are the rest of those lazy bastards?!_

 _S_ _o what_ if Sanji's the only one who can fly?

The hesitation Sanji fights with makes the shitty admiral reconsider his target and _fucking turns his back to loom over the kid,_ who looks caught between instinctive terror, horror at the sight of Luffy and whole fucking shit of rage on the verge of passing out (when he long since should have passed out).

(- Luffy won't stop. Sanji is acutely aware of him struggling for every breath, clinging to _life_ by sheer stubborn will, and _still_ gearing up to fight. Luffy won't fall back. Even if he is a walking corpse -)

A flash of blue and surprisingly soft crackle of flames.

And Sanji is _saved_ from the impossible choice.

Fucking _finally_.

Time is difficult to tell when the adrenaline gets going. It felt like hours since Sanji managed to get here, it can't have been more than thirty seconds.

The dwarfs are brave, but little more effective than drops of water against the fucking hound, and the water may even still come off with the better record.

Much better the First Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. Sanji meets the man's eyes past Akainu, and they reach a wordless understanding.

Lowering his leg, Sanji back-steps until he's next to Luffy, and there's really nothing for it.

(Deliberately not looking at the wound) Sanji swings one of Luffy's arms over his shoulder, kicks off and takes to the air.

The bellow of rage and wave of lava he only has to be concerned about for a moment, before it breaks off in a blaze of blue.

Luffy's reaction is sluggish, and doesn't that tell him everything? But it comes, heavily, for a moment before he realizes that some tossed his little brother in the air for Sanji to catch.

Airwalk with two dead weights and a damaged leg? Impossible, but the cook makes it possible for the short time it is needed.

Retreat into friendly air space has never been so welcome, and Sanji all but crashes to the ground.

The little brother struggles out of his hold immediately, trying to get his own legs back under him. Going by the way he's in fact _struggling_ with it before he is swarmed, his body also hit the limit his determination can push.

There is at particularly nasty bloody burn that stretches all the way from his arm over his shoulder and a quarter of his back, but Sanji kind of can't pay attention to that. His side is warm and wet and it's neither his sweat not his blood, both of which Sanji would prefer infinitely.

Luffy is still. Too still.

As he carefully sets Luffy down on a collapsible stretcher that one of the field docs dragged out of his bag he notices the rubberman's skin is cold, dry and white. Sanji can't tell if Luffy's still conscious or if he's still breathing.

(All he can tell that that burn looks like a crater, right above the heart, and _how many centimeters are between heart and skin?_ )

Sanji's aware that he's in some suspended sort of shock. War and people dying around him and explosions happening and screams and shouts and shit and it's all a horrible kind of distant as Luffy gets transported up the quickly-arrived Sunny.

Chopper, in full doctor mode and deeply immersed in treating the sort of things that happen in all out war, actually _falters_ when he lays eyes on Luffy and Luffy's open chest, and Sanji feels _sick_ _(dread)_.

* * *

"Stop them!"

"Don't let them escape!"

"Kill the children of the Pirate King!"

"Justice will prevail! Surrender!"

The Thousand Sunny, a unique and extraordinary ship in many ways, turns its wheels, the eye-catching figurehead's smile no longer staring down the impressive structure of navy headquarters, instead slowly facing the open sea.

Which everyone who remembers the briefing's information on the Straw Hat Pirates knows to be a _very bad thing_.

"STOP THAT SHIP!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku roars, voice amplified hundredfold.

To their credit, the marines try. They narrow their focus and force down to that one point, move in a unified front akin to a wave. But the pirates gather in defense, just as determined and have the advantage of the ship being their mobile infirmary and thus behind their front lines in their midst. Gathering a defensive wall is a matter of minutes whereas the marines are spread out in clusters in correspondence to the pirates' heavy hitters, prime example being Whitebeard himself.

Akainu is doing his name proud, hunting like a man possessed and treating even fellow soldiers like stones to be stepped over. But he's an admiral, one of the greatest threats in the war, and he is not left alone.

Kizaru's range is a lot less easier to restrict due to his speed, the nature of his power. But again, it is no longer fighting past him that is necessary but intercepting his attacks, and as much as it is a challenge, it is also a simpler task.

It is _defend_ instead of attack, penetrate _, win_.

(The _damn_ devil fruit of Cannibal Bartolomeo is spectacularly useful for this, and the zeal he tackles the task with is fanatic and then some.)

Sengoku is a veteran of the likes that are rapidly dwindling on the seas, impossibly powerful, but he is also the one who directs the battle, someone who for all his might is just as cornered by Whitbeard's power as the rest of the world.

(And Garp, well, Monkey D Garp is still nursing (purportedly) his ringing head because today the effort it takes to get up is clearly not worth it and he'd much rather sleep it off, and claim narcolepsy.)

And the Thousand Sunny – well, the ship can cross kilometers in a matter of _seconds_. Catching the pirates, escape and flight artist by profession, now that the ball is in their court is infinitely harder and has the valiant marine soldiers aware of every second ticking by.

Just like that, the pirate fleet(s) would have gotten away, were it not for one thing – one _man_.

"ICE CAPSULE!"

Before the Thousand Sunny can finish reversing, a white cage arrests all movement. The deceptively beautiful looking sheen encases the wheels, travels up the hull and would have gone for the deck and its occupants had not enough haki been active to halt it before it could freeze more than a few swaying tips of grass.

But the purpose was still accomplished. The get-away ship carrying vulnerable priority targets can't move, can't turn its head towards the sea, can't shoot off.

Once more the battlefield is bisected by cries – of triumph and dismay.

"Now's our chance! END THE EVIL BLOOD!"

"Get that ship unfrozen! Bring torches!"

"That's Aokiji's ice! It won't melt that easily, Boss!"

* * *

Chopper ignores the chaos and canonfire. All of his concentration is put towards keeping Luffy alive. With the composure of a professional he ignores it all, even the little voice in his head that whispers how bad it is and that this is _Luffy_ – especially that little voice.

The wound he is trying to treat is a mix of burn wound, bone, muscle tissue and blood. The little hysterical voice point out it had been _lava_ , and _oh god_ , it's so deep that even though it was _lava_ that should have cauterized everything it is _bleeding_ because it just hit the knot of blood vessels _around the heart_ with enough power to open them but not to cauterize them shut.

Luffy's blood-type is a rare one, but Chopper learned from that instance at Fishman Island and has lots of transfusions ready for him.

If that were all.

For the first time in his career, Chopper doesn't know where to start treating. Doesn't know what to do with an injury that should have killed as soon as it happened.

But he ignores that all. Ignores the arrested motion of the Sunny, the lack of acceleration that would mean they are home-free. Ignores the panicked shouts from outside, the people moaning and swearing with injuries on the deck, the hasty movements of other doctors and they dash between patients.

Ignores how Luffy's brother has accumulated enough damage to be lethal to anyone else and how he is still trying to get back up, protests that he should help, that he's _fine! treat Luffy_ , that _get the cuffs off I'll get rid of the ice!_ , that he can still fight, the others aren't out of the battle yet, he's got to help. Despite the fact that he can't even push himself up and his hazy eyes keep fading out.

Tristan reads him Luffy's vitals, and the door to the deck falls shut.

Chopper usually doesn't need assistants, but he's beyond glad that Tristan insisted on coming with them – there are enough others here to help him if she weren't, but she's the only one he's worked with before.

"Chopper-sensei…." She is a nurse. Of course she knows what the extend of Luffy's injuries means.

Chopper ignores it. There have been countless situations where Luffy should have died, and didn't. This is no different.

(It can't be.)

(He's never been hurt _this_ lethally before.)

(Blood pressure? What blood pressure.)

(Pulse? It's supposed to happen more than twice a minute.)

The Sunny rocks with some sort of impact, the shouts outside increase, but all of Chopper's mind is the measures he needs to take to ensure that Luffy won't just die _before_ Chopper can _start treating_ him.

The Sunny jerks again, and for a moment the sensation of free fall has him struggle to correctly link Luffy to an _artificial heartbeat generator,_ because there is no telling when his will _give out_ , and they need that to keep the blood flowing, to get oxygen into the blood so that Luffy doesn't die right then and there -

With wooden creaking, loud in contrast to the sudden absence of explosions and screams, the door to Chopper's infirmary and current surgery room opens.

The shadow that steps in is tall, armed, and excludes a menacing aura just by breathing.

Chopper glances up, just for an instant because more time he can't risk, then has to look again. And bursts into tears.

"Torao!"

* * *

"Retreat, men! We have succeeded! Withdraw and regroup on the sea!"

The pirates _roar_ and cheer. For the first time since this war started they are giving ground, turning tail and running towards ships. Any ships; their own or moving to take over marine ones outside of the frozen bay, picking up fallen comrades (or their corpses) on the way.

Whitebeard himself is of course the last, taking advantage of the undisturbed target area that he has now for the first time that neither any of the pirates nor Ace can become collateral.

Marineford shakes, its very foundation threatening to sink into the sea.

Now Fleet Admiral Sengoku has no choice but to get involved, has to risk the chain of command ending with him or the island will sink.

That's when the self-proclaimed Blackbeard Pirates appear.

* * *

(Straw Hat is an idiot.)

(Trafalgar Law has known this for quite some time, and the impression is only cementing over time.)

(A wonder then, that he respects the grinning fool.)

(Grinning fool or not, only the foolish in turn dismiss the man wearing a smile under his straw hat as anything other than _the eye of the storm_ and _too dangerous_.)

(That is the reason he bothered to come to this shitfest, not the alliance they have nor any debt or fondness.)

(Straw Hat is _worth_ keeping alive.)

Straw Hat is an idiot who is obviously too stupid to die right. Well, Trafalgar knows how to take advantage of that quite well.

It says something about Chopper-ya's desperation when the usually easily scared and flailing doctor only flinches once when Law splits his captain into parts and pieces before he starts to stabilize the now-accessible organs.

(And treat them. Straw Hat's heart … the ribs took most of the damage, as it is what they are there for, but not all of the muscles that make up the most important organ got away free. A burned heart. Law has never seen anything like it before and if at all possible, he'd like it to not remain on his ally.)

* * *

"Zehahahahaha! If it isn't Pops. You're still kicking. What a shame!"

"Teach!"

"That absolute bastard," bits Marco out.

The traitor and wanna be rip-off of Pops grins deranged. Golden teeth glint, but he looks a bit worse for the wear.

Pops' fury gathers like an unprecedented storm. Dark and rolling, the sky seems to blacken.

"Blackbeard!" Curses Sengoku, face red. And would you look at that, Garp is back amongst the living, glaring at the man who turned his grandson in to be executed with intensity and hate.

Ace was gone from here, safe for now and only safer as the ship of his brother ought to be retreating.

...staying at Marineford to kill the son of a bitch that stole brothers from them (one temporarily and two forever) and tore their family apart doesn't look like such a bad idea.

Marco isn't the only one who thinks so, because many of his brothers have slowed to hate, gearing up for another fight again.

Admirals Aokiji and Kizaru stop their attempted pursuit, waiting for a cue from their supreme commander on the next course of action to take.

Blackbeard, Whitebeard, or the Straw Hats (with Ace and Luffy).

Cracks form in the air at a fist from Pops that shakes the island's foundation to the ground and the latter option becomes quickly unavailable.

* * *

This is one crazy mess. Marineford ruined, the world shaking, the Whitebeard Pirates, the some greatest forces in the world clashing, tearing into each other with monstrous violence.

And Blackbeard.

(And Luffy. By the gods, _Luffy_ getting his hands into this _war_ -)

The world may seem as though it is ending, but hope still exists.

A brave marine with more courage than sense can't remain upright once he's shouted his piece.

It's fine, though, because Shanks doesn't mind picking up right there.

"I am here to stop this war." From his tone, the way he phrases the words, he makes it clear that it's a declaration. Not so much of intention but as _the war is over. NOW_.

He eyes Blackbeard and Whitebeard in particular. As this war proves, the old man makes a point of overkilling those harming his. Teach struck out on all fronts there.

Shanks wouldn't mind seeing him dead either, but here is not the place. If they want to duke it out, they can do it elsewhere. Not at a place where people unable to defend themselves become collateral damage – even if those people are marines, no perhaps especially because they are marines; this place is their territory and are more and more being reduced to bystanders now that they have lost the war.

(Out on the sea, red flashes darkly. Akainu has not yet stopped like the obsessive bastard he is, though Luffy's crew, fleet and allies are scrambling to do so. If they don't have it managed by the time Shanks has his ceasefire secured here, he'll send someone.)

"Anyone who still wants to fight can start with us. And I mean _anyone_."

* * *

The war over the life of a single pirate is over long before the world gets to know about it.

And when it does get informed, it is with an edited version as the visual transponder snails' broadcast was interrupted not too long into the beginning of the conflict.

Paramount War results: Whitebeard and allies heavy damaged, Whitebeard himself on death's bed, but escaped with Fire Fist Ace due to the unexpected involvement of the Revolutionary Army. Marine Headquarters have been heavily damaged, but the fortress stands unconquered. Fleet Admiral Sengoku takes responsibility for the result and retires. Garp the Hero withdraws from the frontlines and chooses to focus on training new soldiers.

It was, without a doubt one of the darkest days in history.

* * *

TBC

* * *

 _Whitebeard was able to use his haki because he was not as bad off here as in canon._

 _Luffy's entrance from the sky. It was epic in canon, what can I say. And though, admittedly, he doesn't have a war ship and a load full of former prisoners with him it's still happening - just different. Luffy, Nami and Chopper approached Marineford via some sort of balloon, Weatharia car-thingy and Usopp and Franky's ingenious engineering. Why? For the reasons Marco mentioned. Luffy with the main force would do more harm then good and also, just getting him to slowly approach from the seafloor would have been a risk - way too slow for him. A definite factor for Nami's decision to go in from the air is that Luffy could be easier controlled and tempered up there. Nami also tried to go and steal the key for the handcuffs under a mirage whose location Apis or one of the dwarfs would have informed her of while Chopper joined the Sunny to do doctor stuff._

 _That whole plan of stealing handcuff keys and intel and stuff that Apis was there for? Thanks to the dwarfs it's not happening. Apis had to scramble out of the burning Moby Dick and then while keeping on the sidlelines while being guarded by some of the former Spade Pirates got evacuated to try her stuff from a different safe ship. Before they got there shit hit the fan._

 _On the dwarfs. They aren't pirates and never expressed interest in being pirates or being Wanted and the Tontatta Chief and Kyros and Riku III at least thought of what it means if they have the Tontatta Tribe's military cops taking the side of pirates and fighting under a pirate flag. Hench the completely shoddy disguises. And yes, those are Lucy-disguises. Never mind that Lucy didn't actually happen here..._

 _Luffy was not actually ever dead. Ace's fear and dread and anxiety and adrenaline and mind just came up with it (in that moment he is a_ very _unreliable narrator, some parts are even mixed with hallucinations) and, to be fair, it was not too large a leap - the blow would have killed just about anyone else. Luffy would be dead too had he not used haki to block the most of the blow. And as to why he was able to do that while Ace in canon was not - well, Luffy did not live through weeks of torture, and isn't malnourished. In short Luffy was very much near top shape whereas canon!Ace was on the other end of the spectrum._

 _I'm sure some are not happy with the lack of other straw hats or other whitebeards, but fact is that in this war Sanji (and Marco) has the best mobility and that is an advantage that can, as seen, be decisive. For the same reason is Marco around. He can fly. When Kizaru isn't in his way he can be anywhere in a matter of seconds. (He didn't defeat Kizaru by the way; just passed him off to one of the other commanders when he saw what happened on the ground.)_

 _The Sunny was frozen to the ground but hat isn't the sort of thing that the Op-Op Fruit can't work around. So one Room later, the Sunny is out on the water, away from the battle and Law doesn't have to bother to directly interfere with a war that he has no stakes in and no obligation to take part in (since their alliance is against Kaido and nothing else)._

 _To those who think Sengoku's role is a bit too passive. Sengoku has highest command here, all chains of command end with him. He has the strategies and contingencies and the authority. Yeah, he has also stunning combat potential but the chain of command can't be risked until the last moment._

 _Shanks didn't know that Luffy and Ace were siblings either. Quite a shock. Though he had a suspicion that Luffy was Dragon's kid._

 _Without someone staging an Impel Down breakout, Buggy isn't there to keep the live feed going, so it's cut off as the marines please and the war continues without eyes on it form that point._

 _Also, no you didn't miss anything. The Revolutionaries didn't take part in the war, not a single member of them was around. Fact is, though, that no one stops the Powers That Be from claiming they were. And even if there were someone speaking up, who would believe them? The same line of bullshit is 'the fortress stands unconquered'._

 _Right, so. This was the Marienford War. I know many of you had high expectations and I hope I didn't disappoint. It was fun writing this chaos. It's not entirely unrecognizable from canon of course but I dare say I tossed in a few curveballs. The Tontatta were especially fun._

 _One more chapter to go!_


	5. clear waters

reflections on broken waves

* * *

clear waters

* * *

"Revolutionaries? What the - ?! There were no Revolutionaries! Why the hell would they -?!"

"EHHHHH?! Straw Hat is Dragon's son? Not Roger's? That was a _MISUNDERSTANDING?_!"

Whitebeard glances at his daughter and son. Haruta and Vista are scanning the paper for anything of importance and are currently gaping at it, dumbfounded.

"What the actual fuck," states another of his sons slowly, wonderingly. Wandering over to them, he leans over their shoulders to read along. "Give us a bit more context here. What the hell."

Whitebeard admits to being curious himself (for entertainment value, mind, not because he actually cares about the topic), but his daughters have been very insistent and if he so much as moves a muscle without their supervision, they're going to nail him to his sick-bed, captain or no, presence required in well-visibility or no, so he sadly can't read the news himself.

"Gurararara! That's interesting. So tell us, what story did they come up with?" He chuckles, and his children laugh with him.

The island in the Calm Belt they're making camp at has warm climate, enough animals that food won't be an issue for the time-being, and most importantly it is big enough that all of his children can rest and recover.

Surrounded by as many of them as he is, they look like they need it, bandages on every one of them (except Marco), though Whitebeard suspects he himself looks worse. But smiles have been abundant and light, and that tells Whitebeard that is was all well worth it.

Her eyes running over the lines, Haruta sits cross-legged on the grass. "They're explaining the Revolutionary's involvement with Straw Hat, saying that he's Dragon's son and pulled the army in or something, which makes so much sense because the Revolution is clearly something that is inherited from father to son like an upstanding World Government kingdom and is also clearly mobile and centralized enough to toss some dice in a war." She rolls her eyes. "The thing about Luffy, Ace and Roger was apparently an accidental mishap. Sengoku said they're brothers, but never said anything about Luffy being Roger's son or about Luffy and Ace being blood related." She scoffs.

Her gaze narrows on a particular passage. "While they're at it, they're also airing the dirty laundry that Garp is their grandfather. Pointedly doesn't mention if by blood or not. Guess they'd feel like they'd lose their face if they admit their _very own_ hero undermined their authority by _saving a baby_ that he wasn't even related to." She blows out an angry breath through her nose. Whitebeard can almost see the smoke.

"Bet coming up with that cover-story was painful," muses Marco with a smile, "so many secrets uncovered. So many shameful truths. Almost makes me wish they'd kept it under lid just to see how it'd blow up, yoi. "

A comfortable round of laughter follows. Not wild, not crackling, just warm and peaceful.

"...wait," says Vista, suddenly contemplative, expression twisting in confused wonderment. "So Straw Hat _isn't_ related to Roger? But he's so much like him."

"Don't let Ace hear that!" Someone shouts, amused. "He'll burn your mustache off!"

They laugh again, and Whitebeard feels proud and satisfied with his life. This is what he built – a family.

"But seriously." Says Vista, still chuckling. "He's is, isn't he. Or am I remembering wrong?" He looks up at Whitebeard, and his other children follow suit. Noisy and curious brats they are.

Whitebeard just shrugs and grins. "You've got me. This old man's memories must be going. Who was this Roger again?"

His children crack up, taking it as a joke. Point is made, though, he can see. The past era and its actors don't matter anymore, just like blood - which has never mattered in the first place.

"By the way, wouldn't Ace want to know what they're saying? Where is he? Still…?"

Marco smiles fondly, rolling his eyes. "You bet."

xXx

"You know, sitting there and staring isn't going to make him wake up sooner."

"I'm not staring."

"Er, yes, you are. Two weeks and counting, you've spend every free minute you aren't with your crew here and stare at him."

"It's not the staring I'm going for," Ace clarifies. His hands keep busy cleaning his kill. Cutting off a piece, he lights the hand holding it on fire.

Understanding seems to dawn on his brother's nakama. "Then..."

"Yep." With gusto, he bits into the meat and chews loudly. "For Luffy, there's no better motivation than food."

Usopp snorts.

Which says all kinds of things that Luffy hasn't stirred even to eat for over sixteen days. Guilt and worry churns in Ace's gut, making the meat taste like ash and blood, but he determinedly goes on chewing.

His brother is like this _because of him_. Ace's crew is _damaged_ , they _lost brothers_ because of him. If only Ace hadn't gone after Teach…

But they _swore_ to live a life without regrets, like Sabo never managed, so they _can't_ do anything less, and despite the hellish war that his fuck-up turned into Ace can't say he regrets going after Teach. Or rather, had he not gone, he'd have regretted it forever, would have had to live the rest of his life with the burden.

So yes, Ace feels fucking guilty and unworthy and lighter than he ever was in his life at the same time, and he's got to _suck it up_ and _move on_ and _be grateful to be alive._

The world doesn't stand still, not for anyone. And not for him. He's learned that the hard way. And Ace – he's _alive_. Beautifully _alive_ , more alive than ever before and he can be _happy_ , and he plans to make the most of it. He'll live, and he'll accept the consequences of his actions, and he'll _overcome them_.

He owes this to everyone who fought for him, to those who died to save him.

To Thatch and Toby, who died when it all began.

His teeth close on air.

Ace and Usopp watch transfixed as rubbery arms stretch to liberate Ace of his meal, their owner blowing a sleep bubble.

Jumping up so quickly, the chair he sits on falls, the sniper dashes to the door. "CHOPPER!" One look back at the chewing, and "SANJI!"

xXx

Looking at the childish brat clinging to Ace like a leach, one wouldn't believe that _that_ is _The_ troublemaker of the new generation, and a dangerous pirate besides.

It's difficult to believe even that Luffy is the elder one. Watching them interact explains a hell of a lot about Ace's compulsive need to either be an utter brat or more responsible than people twice his age. Obviously, whenever Straw Hat forgets being responsible, Ace feels the need to pick up the slack. In reverse, when Luffy is responsible, Fire First can be one heck of a _spoiled brat._

No one can deny their care or worry for the other, though, because Ace fanatically cries for a doctor the second Luffy so much as looks at his chest, and Luffy, well. Let's just say it takes a lot of effort to extract him from Ace, and only once he's been convinced that Ace isn't going to die (so slow!) and doesn't even have so much as a bruise anymore does he stop sobbing.

(…At which point he makes a nuisance of himself for everyone and not just Ace.)

xXx

Luffy chews thoughtfully.

He doesn't do this often, his head starts to hurt, but there's something important to think about.

The big grand victory feast is delicious and the party is fun! It's too bad he's forbidden from dancing by Chopper...he wants to. It's such a big party with so many people! But Chopper and Sanji threatened no meat for a month (so mean!) if he does anything that is beyond what Chopper allowed him.

Luffy pouts.

And chews thoughtfully.

The food is really great and it's so much that Luffy alone could eat for a week and there'd still be something left! (Only if he doesn't share with Ace, though. Then it'd be shorter. Luffy doesn't mind sharing with Ace, though. Not even the meat.)

Anyway, there are so many cooks and so much meat and so many sweets and so many people! So many ships too! Luffy supposes they all were at the battle too, but he doesn't really remember.

What he does remember is that lots of his friends and their crews came to help him help his little brother out. And it's not everyone who came back.

Luffy doesn't know who died. Doesn't know their names or faces. Didn't even know those people existed except that there...are holes. Maybe? Like voices that should be there but aren't even though Luffy can't know that because he never met lots of these people before. Huh?

Tilting his head, Luffy's gaze drifts around as he shovels more food into his mouth. He missed ninety meals after all. (Even if Sanji claims he ate lots while he was sleeping - if Luffy doesn't remember it it doesn't count!)

...yeah, he's pretty sure there are holes.

Dead nakama.

Luffy slurps a bowl of noodles down and interchanges the now-empty one with Franky's full one. Ace is sitting with his crew-family, smiling and happy and animated and Big Mustache guy laughs loudly with him. Over there, something is missing too.

He kind of wants to go and beat every marine up for every person missing here, but Luffy knows death and it's not giving anything back.

His arms snapping out, he gets nice and big new piece of meat. Luffy chews thoughtfully.

...it's no good - something will have to be done. Yes. He nods determinedly. Yes, something will have to be done, but first. "It's a party!" Luffy laughs into the noise and music, getting up from his spot between his nakama to lean on Ace's head and steal his meat and hug him some more.

(Ace is alive. Of course he is. He's Luffy's little brother and he can't die because Luffy's other little brother is already gone.)

(It was scary, and Luffy doesn't like it - the idea that people think they can just _try_ and _execute his little brother.)_

(But it's okay now, Ace's alive.)

"LUFFY! YOU -! THAT WAS MINE!"

Luffy laughs so much that his bandages start to get in the way and he tries tugging on them, but before he can get a single finger under them he's tackled into the ground from behind. Chopper's furious nose is in his face and all of a sudden Luffy can move a lot less and has even _more_ bandages. Chopper waves yet more rolls of them in the air, threatening to use them all and turn Luffy into a mummy.

Ace stands by, points, and laughs.

And Luffy couldn't be happier.

xXx

"YOU WANT TO DO WHAT?!"

Luffy blinks owlishly, (still or again) eating. His stare is vacant and unmoved as he very clearly does not hear a word of the wave of protests his fleet's captains and his own crew present him with. (Said crew consequently crumbles in well practiced despair.)

Whitebeard hums, an intrigued sound as liquid swirls around in his cup (sadly not alcohol). "Sounds like a good idea," he muses aloud, and his children's heads (and everyone else in earshot) snaps around to him with expressions of profound betrayal on their faces as it becomes clear that the mad thought is not limited to the Straw Hat and associates only. Marco pinches the bridge of his nose in utter resignation.

"I got it, I got it. I'll go." He shoots Whitebeard a Look full of warnings to behave and promises of revenge before his focus slides to Vista and Jozu with whom he exchanges meaningful understanding glances.

Ace smirks, schadenfreude obvious and very bratish. "I'd volunteer, Marco, but as I'm _grounded_...I think I'm just going to start picking flowers." He strolls off, glee in every step as he shouts, "hey Luffy, Marco wants to go with you! Have fun!" Straw Hat's head whips promptly around, beaming smile all over his face and he lets out a whoop ignorant to the horror on his friends' faces and the renewed wave of protests.

* * *

"Sound the sirens! That ship is not one of ours!"

"What are you -?"

"It's been taken, moron! Call the Fleet Admiral in Marijoes. Get Vice Admirals here from somewhere! Do it!"

...

"What are they -?"

"Are those...flowers?"

It's flowers. An entire wagon full of them is dumped into one of the fissures torn in to the island while the captured ship sails a circle around the island under the hand of the Phoenix.

A funeral at sea.

As if that's not enough, Straw Hat actually stands still long enough for reporters to capture his image as he bows his head in respect to the dead. As he _validates_ the deaths of thousands of pirates and drags the sacrifice of noble warriors through the mud _on their own home (holy) grounds_.

It's a disaster that graces the front pages the very next morning.

(It's one more nail in the coffin.)

(Whose, is the question.)

(Sengoku just knows it's no longer his problem.)

* * *

"I can't believe you're leaving already. Going by the way Ace was attached to your side and by how he couldn't get rid of you once you woke up, I'd have thought you'd stay another week at least," observes Marco casually, leaning against the railing of the Moby II.

Straw Hat Luffy, precariously perching on said railing, claps his sandaled feet together, smiling. "Nah. Ace's fine now, he's found a good crew." His body is still wound in bandages so tightly the only skin visible is his face and legs and if he even thinks of removing them his (two) doctor(s) will find out and make him regret it.

Marco suspects the docs might have gone for overkill, because the only real wound still an issue over two weeks after Marineford is the one on Luffy's chest, so there's really no need to bind even his toes, but what does he know, he's no doctor.

For a moment they watch their respective crews run through the preparations to split up. The chefs exchange recipes, the tiny reindeer-doctor gets cooed over by the nurses, provisions are carried aboard from the island that hosted them (involuntarily). Ace gets teased by his ship-brothers over possibly having a brother complex. Marco notes that however light Luffy's tone is, his attention follows Ace's every move. Maybe even subconsciously.

"You almost died, he almost died. No one would begrudge you more time together," he points out mildly and definitely fruitlessly. The time he's known the Straw Hat captain is not long, the interactions they've had aren't many, but one doesn't need a lot of time to get to know Luffy and to know that once he made a decision _that's it._

Luffy's smile, still watching Ace (who gets a noogie, and throws the offender overboard with a red face while Apis snaps a photo), widens. "We're brothers," he says to Marco, which _duh._ "So that our connection won't break even when we're on different ships. He's alive and I'm alive, we sail the same ocean. We'll see each other again." As he speaks those words, he uses a casual tone, as though this truth that can be – _just became!_ \- a catalyst the world spins around is universal, perfectly understandable to anyone. "We have both our own adventures to live. I wanna go back to mine. And Ace's got his to continue without me."

Marco sort of just... _stares_ at Luffy, eyes widened and mouth parted. For the first time, it's not Roger (in a less obnoxious mood) that he sees, it's not Roger's words that he hears (the more meaningful ones), but _Luffy_. Just a boy with a Straw Hat, a dream, and an inner strength so _bright and_ _powerful_ Marco suddenly can _see_ it – the Pirate King.

"Besides," Luffy starts chuckling 'shishishi', "we're enemy pirate crews! I haven't beaten you yet! We can be friends after!"

Snorting, Marco returns, "yeah, right. That's not gonna happen, kid. You're still way too green behind the ears."

Surprisingly instead of loudly protesting, Luffy just tilts his head, looking in the direction of Pops. "Hmmm. Maybe. Old Mustache Guy is pretty strong. Stronger than Gramps even!" He shivers. "But I'm going to get stronger, stronger, _stronger_. Stronger than anyone! Even cool Old Mustache Guy. Its gonna happen."

And it's not difficult _at all_ to see how this boy, twenty one years old, has an army pledged to him. How the waters stir by his mere presence. How he is rising up the ladder of pirate hierarchy faster than can be kept track of. The conviction in his tone is unbelievably charismatic, his confidence an infective thing.

Except – and this is what Pops sees in Ace, in so many young ones – he's dashing towards the goal, never pausing to rest, never giving himself time grow. Living fast, and hard, like a star going supernova. (And dying just as quickly.)

Ace...Ace luckily slowed down. Maybe they managed to make him, maybe its because the goal he ran towards is not the one he thought it was and found it with them instead.

Luffy won't slow, though, Marco can see that.

One need only take a look at him now to see it. The wound that was an absolute _crater_ is a price he payed to save his brother in a war a twenty one years old (senior rookie) pirate captain should have no place in, never mind as one of the key players. After causing yet another incident days after waking up (however mild it might have been by his standards), now he's not even taking time heal up before setting sail again (no doubt to go back into his skirmishing with Kaido), not even taking a breath of _peace_ and _family._

"Oi, Luffy!" Comes a shout from the smaller ship docked besides them. "We're ready to go!"

Luffy waves and shouts back. One dash later, he has Ace in an octopus hug. Ace squawks and almost falls over from the sudden weight addition, prompting a chorus of laughter from the crew.

"Shishishshi! Goodbye Ace's crew. See you later! Next time we fight, Old Mustache!" He shouts, completely ignoring that as a fellow captain he should perhaps give Pops the curtsy of not just shouting at his ship and hoping is heard but of seeking the other captain out.

Pops' laughter echoes from somewhere inside and not long after a door to the deck opens.

"Leaving already, brat?"

Luffy nods eagerly, his head bopping against Ace's during the motion. Ace struggles furtively, embarrassed and by far not as much as violent as they knew he could be. "I'm gonna be Pirate King!"

 _What is the_ hurry _?_

But Marco keeps that thought in the back of his mind.

Untangling from his brother, but not without pulling his cheeks instead, Luffy grins at Ace, "don't get caught again."

"As if!" Protests Ace. "And before you worry about me, worry about yourself. I'm not the one picking a fight with an Emperor!"

Luffy laughs, delighted. The Whitebeard Pirates sort of just stare at Ace, unable to believe that those words came out of Mr. "I'm going to defeat Whitebeard"'s mouth.

Ace doesn't seem to notice the hypocrisy of his statement, though.

As Luffy swings his way up to the railing, he throws a look over his shoulder. One that is significantly more serious, meeting a returning one from Ace.

But no somber words, no advice or promises come against all expectations. Whatever they say to each other, they don't need words. Luffy's face splits in a grin, and he jumps overboard, shouting "set sail!" at his crew.

Marco's crew waves and shouts long as the smaller galleon get carried away by wind and water. Ace doesn't. He just stands, and watches with a smile.

Until we meet again, as they say.

* * *

xXx

* * *

"Did you read the papers?"

"Yeah, unbelievable what they're trying to sell-"

"- you think that it's true? That Straw Hat Luffy is Dragon-san's son, I mean?"

"- who knows. Going by how many lies are in that article it might just be another cover-up -"

"- why claim that? It's got payoff sure, but there are better lies -"

"- didn't you hear? I heard that Dragon-san said it's true."

"What?! Really?"

Baltigo's rumor-mill has never been as active as it in the past few days. Catching tidbits of discussions in the mess, a certain blond shovels food into his mouth. A stack of empty plates on one side, a newspaper from over two weeks ago on the other, the soon-to-be chief of staff stares with an empty gaze at the pictures of two young men on the front page.

It's no wonder, he thinks, that no one suspected the truth when the lie was first announced. They look more alike than some blood siblings. Privately he muses if perhaps someone mixed things up and Straw Hat is actually Roger's and Fire Fist Dragon's or both belong to one or the other. He wouldn't put it past his own boss to roll with it, and something tells him that Straw Hat would have dealt better with Roger's blood than Fire Fist, though why he thinks that is a mystery.

It not as though he's ever met either pirate, let has reason to believe that Fire Fist struggled with his self, with his identity and worth, or that Straw Hat might laugh it all off.

No, that's just silly.

* * *

Ace's day started fairly normal. Getting up. Emptying the galley of food. Since they're docked, he goes with Marco and Apis to do some shopping (why Marco insists Ace take note of how a division is run is beyond him). He's no longer grounded but still forbidden from going anywhere alone, so he does some obligatory grumbling as they stroll through the small town's market, passing stalls left and right.

When he catches a glimpse of blue and blond from the corner of his eyes his day is still normal. It's not the first time that that color combination draws his eyes after all.

Then more details sink in and refuse to let his eyes move on. Someone his own age wearing a long blue coat, a pipe like a sword across his back, blond curls peeking out from under a blue top-hat that is pulled low to hide a face. Ace watches, with a cold gut, an armful of apples being bought, an annoyed companion berating the person and revealing the face for a moment.

And Ace feels rage bubble under his skin.

Pushing past a few other people, he comes within arm's reach.

Crash!

"OW! THAT FREAKING HURT DAMN IT!"

"WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU ALIVE?!"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

"WHO AM I -?! YOU DAMN BASTARD!"

"Hey!" Cuts in _that bastard's_ companion, scowling and that's definitely a martial arts posture she takes as she moves to stand between them. Apples roll over the street. "What are you doing? Can't you use words to talk like a civilized being?"

Ace scowls at her with a look that sends hardened pirates running. She blanches but hold her ground. Ace shoves her aside and jerks the bastard who'd been stupidly staring up by his _stupid_ napkin. Ace would have punched him again if he hadn't been shoved off and away before he gets to it.

He gets a cold look. Hat is picked up and returned to head. The voice is deeper than Ace remembers, of course it is, but _everything_ down to that precise way of speaking when pissed is so glaringly familiar it _hurts_. Hench Ace being angry.

"May I ask what that was that for?"

Hands come to rest on his shoulders, and Ace suddenly remembers that he isn't alone. "Oi, Ace, what's going on?" Marco's eyes go flinty on the two. Overprotective. And it's _annoying_ right now.

"What's going on is that my fucking brother didn't think to mention that HE FUCKING IS ALIVE!" Ace roars in Sabo's face and takes vindictive pleasure in how he jerks back. Stumbles back, actually, trips over the remains of the stall Ace punched him into and promptly lands back on his behind.

To Marco, who looks torn between concern and irritation and confusion he says, fighting for calm. "Luffy and I have another brother. I just never mentioned him because he DIED WHEN WE WERE EIGHT!" This he shouts at Sabo again. And fuck that. Fuck keeping his temper, he's so pissed he could _burn this island to the ground. "_ WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US YOU WERE ALIVE?!"

(Sabo's face looses all color and sweat gathers at his brow. He also has trouble focusing on the present, his head ringing, but of course Ace wouldn't notice stuff like that. Ace is just _angry_ and wants to punch him some more.)

"Now just wait a minute, Fire Fist!" The red-haired woman aggressively elbows her way back into the confrontation, getting up in Ace's face before he can get one step closer. "If you wanna pick a fight you better have a good reason! Start making some sense!"

"Why don't you ask that bastard behind you! He can give you an explanation!" He starts to shove her aside to get another punch in but -

\- the girl stands strong. Her expression is twisted, angry and protective. "That moron has amnesia! He's not gonna explain anything! And I'm not just going to let you take advantage of that-"

Her voice becomes white noise.

Amnesia?

Isn't that the shit where people lose memories? Like what that damn seahorse that wanted to become a dragon like Matabi did to them? _That_ amnesia?

All of a sudden rage just flees his blood and all he can think, feel is Sabo _gonegonegone._ As though he's eight years old, weak and heartbroken again.

Sabo isn't gone.

Sabo is alive. And sailing on the Grand Line.

Sabo is free.

And _alive_.

Something hot stings his eyes. Ace swirls on the spot, shaking both Marco's restraining hand on his shoulder and Apis' grip on his wrist off as he makes to leave. "Come on, we're leaving."

Apis' eyes are round, darting between Ace something behind his shoulder. "I - what - ?"

In his mind he's already far gone, back on the ship, back on the sea, blue everywhere and away from _this_ -

"WAIT! Just wait a damn minute!"

It's not Sabo's voice. But the tone is almost desperate. Maybe that's why he turns when he'd been so determined not to. It's the girl, who's crouching at Sabo's side - Sabo to whom Ace's sight was immediately drawn again. Sabo, who's passed out. His face is twisted in pain.

The girl looks from Sabo to Ace, back again, her face red and her expression might be panic. "You - You can't just leave like that! Explain what you mean _you're his brother_!"

 _Brother._

Luffy, who's the captain of his own crew and who has only become warmer and stronger since -

\- since Sabo.

Sabo, their brother who died before he could be free. Who didn't die at all.

Sabo, who's free. With someone who cares about him.

Luffy, who cried. Ace, who cried. Sabo, who was dead.

Who's free and alive and happy (hadn't he been laughing before Ace hit him?), and it's -

(Sabo _forgot_ them. Him and Luffy. Forgot all about their brotherhood and the days spend running under the green light of the forest, of the hunts under rustling leaves, campfires at night and their shared dream of endless oceans, the desperate longing. To be _free_.)

\- enough.

"No." His fists clench and he has to work to not feel the deep seeded _anger_ that could so easily spark into a raging inferno that would make him do something he'd regret. "No," he says again, stronger and hates himself a little for the weakness he has to hide.

He speaks to Sabo's friend? Partner? Nakama? But his eyes don't move from his brother's unconscious form. "He's alive. That's enough to know. If he forgot about us," _didn't care to remember_ "then that's _his own fucking business_. He can do whatever he wants." Ignore them (forget them), never see them again, resent Ace for a broken nose, hate them because he only heard about them and doesn't know them -

\- Sabo is _free_ to do that.

That freedom is what matters. The freedom, and their brotherhood that can't be cut just 'cause Sabo proved himself to be infinitely more forgetful than Luffy.

This time, when he spins on his heels with agitated energy, it's clear that it's final.

Bystanders part before him and even as his crew-mates hurry to catch up, Ace can't hear anything over the rush in his ears and impulse in his fists to beat something and _beat it dead._

(Later, he's giddy and cheery and all the more like his big brother than some people are comfortable with, but Sabo's alive! He can't wait to tell Luffy, the crybaby.)

* * *

When Sabo wakes up, days of travel away from the last location he remembers being at, with Koala nibbling cookies at a frightening speed at his bed side, a thunderstorm scowl on her face, he has a headache.

He's also irritated as hell, because why must he get a bloody face when reunions are supposed to be happy things.

Asking Koala results in a dark cloud of menace emanating from her and a clipped summary of what that rude, uncivilized, irritating, violent, ugly, infuriating brat of a pirate said.

Sabo can't help laughing at her (at her, at himself, at _that's so Ace_ ), which lands him a trip into the sea.

Then it sinks in that Ace, the bastard, _just up and left._ Gave him a bloody nose, a concussion, dumped a load full of memories in his head together with the headache of the century, screwed his mission over, blew any and all kinds of secrecy and subtlety and _just walked away._

Sabo's kind of _pissed_.

(Holy crap. He's got brothers. Two of them. Straw Hat and Fire Fist. Luffy and Ace. Holy _crap_. What the hell are those two _morons_ doing?! Sparking a war? Blowing the New World to pieces in the crossfire with two Emperors because one of course isn't enough?)

(Mr Almost-Got-Executed thinks _he_ gets to be angry with _Sabo_ for nearly dying?!)

(The next time they meet Sabo's going to give _him_ a bloody nose, just you wait. And a headache. Can't forget the headache.)

(And they _will_ meet again. That's why they're brothers.)

* * *

 _The END._

* * *

 _The second raid on Marineford was conducted by Luffy and Marco only because it was a symbolic act. There couldn't be one side more represented than another and since Whitebeard himself would do that (aside from also clearly being unable to move enough for it) it's Marco and Luffy only. Some ships wait out of sight of Marineford of course, but the main part was the two of them only. Luffy also didn't ring the bell sixteen times. He just did twice for the funeral._

 _About Luffy's bit and him noticing holes and absences of voices - you're free to interpret that any way you like, but I tried to play at The Voice Of All Things._

 _Also Ace and swearing. I don't usually have my characters swear a lot, but it was necessary to paint Ace's state of mind accurately. Anger gets the better of him basically the moment the face from his childhood overlaps with the stranger and when he's angry he swears. Obviously. Being a pirate and raised by bandits. I apologize if the choice of words offend some of you, but it's precisely for that reason that I rated this T._

 _Sabo doesn't have it easy. He's in for so much fanatic worry staring now, it's gonna drive his blood pressure through the ceiling. Also guilt. Despite that he'll probably be flattened under guilt, he's still so much easier of than in canon it kind of makes me wonder how canon!Sabo doesn't get_ crushed _by it and still manages to get anything done. The next time he and Ace meet, it better be on some deserted island cause or mass evacuation will have to be made._

 _All One Piece attention that I have left after this goes to Fuushavillage, cause I really want to finish that some time this century._

 _Right, so, this was a saving Ace fic. Did you really expect something else? For those of you who wonder about Whitebeard making it out alive - let's just say he's alive for_ now _. Fighting is completely out of the question against anyone stronger than a rookie for him now, though. But he lives and his name means all the more._

 _What do you think about how things developed? Ace and his crew and the Whitebeards and Luffy and his fleet and a quickly-rising upstart. Lots and lots of chaos._

 _Thank you for reading. Hope you had some fun!_


End file.
